Temptation
by TeamBlaus4EVER
Summary: Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it. Full summery inside. Prequal to Kitten's playing with Fire
1. Dusty Books With Pretty Pictures

_**Important info- **__This story takes place a few months before 'Kitten playing with fire' sorry if that confuses you at all and I hope my readers enjoy this as much as they do my other cross over. Kitten's playing with fire will be put on hold until this story is finished. Sorry for any disapointments_

_**Disclaimer-**__I don't own anything but Arella and the plot of the story. _

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Arella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_Enojy!,_

_Bella3_

_**************************_

　  
She trailed the cover of the dust ridden book with her slim fragile finger. It looked as if it hadn't been read in centuries. She inhaled a large breath, letting it out on the cover of the book. A cough was heard in front of her, dust having hit the person head on.

"Get on . . . with . . . with it, pet." Spike coughed with annoyance as he fanned the air with his hand. He growled at her. She just rolled her eyes. He didn't seem as menacing when he was coughing throughout his growls. She opened the old book slowly and flipped to the page she was told to read about. Stopping when she reached her spot she began reading a section from the book out loud.

_"The Salem Trials; Ipswich Chronicles_

_In 1692, in the Ipswich Colony of Massachusetts, five families of powerful witches committed to a covenant of silence to protect themselves against the witch hunters, but one of the families transgress their pact and is banished from their lands. Along the centuries, the power and the covenant are transmitted through their descendants and when the eldest son is eighteen years old, he ascends to a higher power. However, the use of magic addicts and if used in excess, ages the warlock."_

Buffy closed the book that her friend, Willow, had given her. Willow had passed the book to Buffy before she, and unfortunately Spike, left on their mission. Buffy didn't see the point of Spike coming along. They hated each other. He was a vampire and she the vampire slayer.

"So what you're saying, luv, is that these boys are demons?" Spike asked, trying to make sure he had it right. Buffy rolled her eyes and hid the book under her dorm room bed. She let out a breath. Even this situation was confusing her!

"Not exactly Spike. They have powers like witches. Well, warlocks since it's only the boys that can receive the power. Willow told me their power is great but comes at a risk for them. We can use that." Buffy tried her best to explain to him. He nodded, only slightly understanding now. He understood that these five, now four, boys are witches. Easiest kill he's ever had.

"So we strike tonight? We can be home by tomorrow." Spike said with excitement in his voice. He wanted some action. He hasn't had good excitement since he first met Buffy. Buffy sighed and shook her head. They weren't exactly here to kill the boys. More like investigate, then decide if they have to kill them or not.

"If it was that simple Spike, do you think we'd have to actually go to school there?" Buffy told him. He rolled his eyes at her. He was over a hundred years old. He already had to go through high school so many times. He didn't feel like going through it again any time soon if he could help it. Only, he couldn't help it. If he could he wouldn't be coming to this school with Buffy Summers.

"What ever, pet. What's the plan then?" Spike asked her. She bit her lip. She wasn't sure if she should tell him detail to detail just yet. So she stalled. She jumped from her seat on her bed and hurried to her fully stocked closet. She was already unpacked. Spike, on the other hand, was anything but unpacked.

"We get accepted into their little circle. My room mate? She's the oldest one's girlfriend. You're on the same hall as the two youngest. I've done my research, Spike. You'll fit in just find with the third oldest, but he won't trust you enough to let anything slip. That's where she comes in." Buffy explained to him, tossing a picture of a young blonde girl to him.

She was delicious to him. Her skin was flawlessly creamy pale. Her blonde hair was flowing down her shoulders in curls, blonde bangs covering the tips of her eyes. She had striking blue eyes that drew you in upon first look. His mouth watered just at a mere picture of this girl. He couldn't help but think of how her blood would taste as he bit into her. Buffy, seeing the look in his eyes, snapped her fingers in front of him.

"What?" He snapped at her.

"Don't you even think of biting her. She's the Reid Garwin's, as in one of the 'sons', baby sister. You want to go home? You keep your pearly whites out of her blood stream." Buffy said as she smacked him off the head as she passed by him. He growled at her, his teeth baring out at her. He hated when she messed up his hair. He noticed her now in a totally different outfit. How long was he day dreaming about this Garwin girl?

"Hot date, pet?" Spike asked Buffy, eying her over with no shame. She rolled her eyes and went into the bathroom that connected to her dorm room. She had quickly changed into something, that was far from what she could consider comfortable. Now, she was applying her make up in the mirror.

"There's a party tonight at some place called Dells. We're 'bumping' into the boys, the sister, and Sarah there." Buffy said as she came back into the room. Spike was used to Buffy wearing tight leather, it didn't affect him as much as it did when he first met her.

"Will there be alcohol at this party?" Spike asked suggestively. He hadn't had a drip of liquor in far too long. Buffy had cut him off when she found him attending a hunt drunk. He sobered up, eventually, that night though. It wasn't his fault the bar was deserted and the drinks were just sitting there, pleading him to drink them.

"Spike---" She said in a warning voice to him. He couldn't be drunk when he was working, not again anyways. "We need to go. No drinking." Buffy told him as she grabbed her last minute things. He rolled his eyes and got up, sliding on his duster as he made his way to the door. Buffy wasn't far behind him


	2. Perfect Boyfriend He Wishes

_**Disclaimer- **__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot of the story_

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Arella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_**************_

Buffy and Spike walked down the mounds of sand to the center of the party. Everyone with in sight distance was staring at them. It annoyed Buffy yet at the same time pleased the hell out of Spike. He flashed a few girls his toothy grin as he passed by them. Buffy rolled her eyes at this. If Spike's ego needed more blood to feed it, he just got it.

"Look, I'll try and find Sarah. You try and find the . . ." She trailed off seeing that Spike had taken off. "....sister." She mumbled seeing Spike stalk off after the blond prey that was in his sight. She knew she should go after him, but she needed to focus. She needed to find . . .

"Well isn't he just the perfect boyfriend." A girl's voice was heard from in front of her. Buffy spun around to see another blond, a smile beaming from her face. She looked familiar. Buffy knew somewhere deep down that she had seen this girl before. Sarah Wenham.

"He wishes. You're Sarah, right?" Buffy asked with a roll of her eyes just thinking about Spike. He had that effect on her though. She always found the need to just roll her eyes annoyed when she was with him. Sarah nodded and giggled. Buffy smiled and shook her hand.

"I'm guessing you're Buffy Summers?" Sarah shouted over the loud music. Buffy smiled again and nodded to her. The girls laughed together. Figures they'd meet at the annual Dells party, Sarah thought to herself. Before either knew it, they weren't alone any more.

"Who's your friend Sare?" A long brown haired boy asked as he and three other boys approached them. So these were the 'Sons of Ipswich' she's heard so much about. They looked as human as Sarah did to Buffy, but then again, Spike looked a little human to when he tried.

"This is Buffy Summers. My new room mate." Sarah explained to them. The one who had asked the question, his eyes flashed of hurt. Something she had said must have triggered something in his memory. Buffy looked at them quickly, someone was missing. It was the blond's little sister. Maybe Spike actually did something right and found her?  
　

******  
Spike striked out at least four times already, or at least it felt as if it was that many to him. One girl was not interested in him. Bitch. Another had a boyfriend. Dull. One was a guy _dressed_ as a girl. Just plain wrong. And lastly? The girl looked too easy. Whore. Normally he would have gone for that red head that was easy, but something was calling to him. Telling him that he needed to just keep his eyes open.

_"No. Stop, please. Let me go."_ He heard with his vampire hearing. The girl sounded young, not like an eighteen age ranged girl. Something was telling him that he had to go save her. Whether it was natural instincts or not, he found himself rushing over to where the pleads were coming from. He saw, up against a tree, a long haired _bastard_, holding some blond girl to said tree. He could see her tears fresh on her cheeks. The demon inside him came out. In a blink of an eye he was behind the boy and was throwing him off of the girl. Spike wasn't sure if the girl saw anything but he wasn't about to ask her.

As the boy stormed off, Spike could swear he heard his mumbles. He looked back at the girl. She looked so mouth watering. He towered over her, that was a obvious fact. She had piecing blue eyes which just happened to be staring up at him with tears clouding them over. Why wasn't Spike attacking? He was drawn to her so badly. What was stopping him? No one was around, no one would hear her screams. Why couldn't he feed his sudden craving?

Before he knew it she was in his arms, bawling her eyes out. He hesitated, he was never good with these type of situations. He slowly wrapped his arms around her in an embrace that showed affection. He, Spike, was hugging a . . . a human girl! She was sobbing on his good shirt and he was letting her! What the hell was going on?  
　

******  
The blond, Buffy learned was named Reid, looked around. He looked puzzled, as did the youngest brunette, Tyler was his name. The two boys looked at each other. Both nervous. Buffy watched them curiously. What were they thinking? Why did they look so nervous? So many questions she wanted to ask, only the oldest, Caleb, beat her to it.

"What's wrong?" He asked the two young members of their covenant. Tyler continued to look around trying to find something that obviously wasn't there. Reid looked scared, only a flash though, at Caleb. Something was definitely wrong.

"Where's Ella?" Was that the little sister? Ella Garwin? For some reason it just didn't fit to Buffy. The other three paled at the mere mention of the girl and missing in the same question. This had to be the sister. Was she with Spike? Was she in trouble? Where the hell was Spike anyway?

"I thought I saw her with some guy by the woods." Sarah suddenly announced, worry covering her voice. Maybe Spike had got to her? What if he didn't know it was the sister and got hungry? Buffy knew she should have followed Spike. The group, including Buffy, darted off to go find Reid's sister.

"I'm so . . . so sorry. I ru . . . ruined your shirt." The blond hiccuped as she pulled her head away from Spike's un beating chest. Hoping she didn't notice with all her crying that his heart didn't once beat.

"Should be. It was very hard to get." Spike said as he let the girl go and looked at his, now ruin, shirt. He had stole this from a very expensive store, one he didn't plan on going to any time soon. If anything, the girl's guilt just grew more. She should feel guilty. She ruined his shirt.

"Sorry I'm just going to go . . ." She trailed off when she began to fall. She had tripped over air and now was going to make a bigger fool of herself in front of this man. Hasn't she been punished enough tonight? Did her brother even know she wasn't by his side anymore? Did he care? The man easily caught her in his arms.

"They always fall for me. You're no different luv." Spike smirked his toothy smirk to her. She blushed, both unable to move as their eyes stayed locked with the other's own. Spike loved when a girl blushed.

"You want to bet. I'm . . ." She trailed off again when she looked past Spike. Her eyes widened at who was coming closer to the two. She couldn't move. Had he really come to find her? Was it his idea? Did the others force him to come along?

"Hey!" He shouted angrily. He did care. She let go of Spike. He had reluctantly let her go too, and she ran to the man who had showed that he cared. At least for the moment. She jumped into the man's arms and smiled as she held onto him for dear life.

"Ella what happened to your shirt?" Sarah questioned the small girl. Reid growled, thinking that it was the man that was holding his sister that had done it. She felt her feet touch the ground again and sighed. He was being protective, even though he didn't have to, he was.

"Aaron found me dancing. I got separated from my friends. He . . . he pulled me away to the woods. It was a nightmare. That guy saved me though, Reid. He didn't even know me and he saved me." She beamed up at her brother. Reid took a breath. He was going to kill Aaron next time he saw him.

"Are you hurt?" This was Tyler who asked. None of the boys, nor the two girls, noticed that Buffy's glare was locked with Spike's. Her glare softened. Spike saved this girl from the worst kind of betrayal a man could do to a woman. Spike, the big bad, had saved a girl and didn't bite her after.

"No. Thanks to . . ." She trailed off for the third time that night to look behind her. Her savior was gone. Only Buffy witnessed his leave but she wasn't going to speak up. Ariella was slightly disappointed that the man wasn't there. She didn't even know if she'd see him ever again. She never had gotten a chance to thank him for saving her.

"C'mon Baby girl. Let's get you home before the cops decide to crash." Caleb reasoned as the group went into the woods where all the cars were parked. Ariella wasn't going to let this moment slip. She wanted her brother's protectiveness still. She wanted to know he could act like a big brother to her. She shivered as if she was cold. Reid took notice of this and pulled her under his arm to try and warm her up. She smiled as they walked. This night, minus the Aaron attack, had been the best night of her life. She noticed for the first time tonight that she had noticed that another girl was with them tonight. The girl must have known that Ariella was looking at her.

"I'm Buffy. Sarah's new room mate." Buffy introduced herself to Arella. The young girl smiled shyly and waved to Buffy. Buffy smiled back and nodded to her. Buffy just realized that Spike drove them here on his bike. If Spike left her here, how was she going to get back? Damn Spike.

"Hey Buffy, you need a ride back?" Sarah asked her. She was now Buffy's best friend, for the night at least. Willow would always have that spot in her heart. Buffy nodded and smiled, thanking Sarah for the offer. Buffy and Sarah said good night to boys and Arella as they headed to Sarah's own car.  
　

******  
Ariella washed out the last of her conditioner when she felt a chill run down her spine. She brushed it off as just a chill from the water, but couldn't help but feel like she was being watched. She looked over her shoulder and tried to see past the steamed glass door. No such luck.

"Hello?" She found herself asking out to nothing. No answer returned her call out. She heard the sound of the door close with another chill from a breeze following close after. Someone was watching her. She quickly shut off the water and wrapped the towel around her petite body. She exited the shower and rushed out the room. She hurried down the hall, careful to watch behind her in case the person came up behind.

She turned around and stopped when she heard a noise, also as if it was a whisper calling out her name in the wind. She sighed seeing that no one there. She turned back around and screamed. There stood her brother less than two feet from her. He looked puzzled as to why she was scared. She knew it was an act though. She knew he had meant to scare her.

"Sorry baby girl. Didn't mean to scare you." Reid smirked down at his sister. He didn't feel comfortable seeing her in just a towel, but he couldn't help it if he loved scaring the crap out of her when he could. Ariella shot her brother a 'not now' look. He gave her a puzzled look back.

"Sure you didn't Reid. Can you walk me back to my room?" She knew she was putting herself out there. Her brother has never been what a brother should be to her since they were little. They were never as close as she wished they were. It hurt to know that her own brother cared about his best friends more then his own baby sister. She would never come first to him. His power would always, then his friends. She always came dead last in his eyes. She knew that for a fact.

"Why? You 'fraid the big bad wolf will come get you?" Reid chuckled to her. She through a cautious look over her bare shoulder. She still felt as if someone was watching her. Only like now it was more than one person. Reid felt a jolt inside him when she wasn't looking. Someone was using. They were using a lot too.

"No. I think someone was watching me in the shower, okay?" Ariella confessed to her brother. Reid tensed instantly. He slid off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders and guided her back to her room. He would have told her to sleep in his and Tyler's doom, but he didn't want to make her worried.

They arrived at her door in no time at all. She almost didn't want to have him leave her alone. "Night Reid." She said softly to her brother. He nodded and kissed her on the cheek before he left to get back to his own room. Ariella sighed and went inside her room. She walked straight to the bathroom and changed into her nightwear. When she came back in her room she turned on the lights. She let out a small scream when she saw _him_ on her bed. He tilted his head to the right, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Why hello, pet."


	3. Is It Working?

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_***************_

"How did you get in here?" Ariella whispered harshly to him. She felt naked in front of him. She was only in a white baby doll and matching white short shorts. He frowned, but only for a second. Wasn't she happy to see her savior?

"You know luv, you shouldn't leave your door unlocked. Some crazy person might just come in and wait for you. You should be happy I was here to keep guard." Spike said as he got comfortable on her bed. She put her hands on her hips and glared at him. She didn't even know his name or anything about him.

"We wouldn't want that, now would we?" She said sarcastically to him. He chuckled and smiled at her. He had a gleam in his eyes. It didn't scare her one bit. It made her want to know what it was there for. Why he was here? She wanted to know who he is.

"No, no we wouldn't want that." Spike said as his smirk just grew. Ariella would have said he looked like a goof, but she'd be lying if she did. She suddenly felt more uncomfortable, then she was already, with him in her room. She did want to get to know him more, but he had Thai cocky attitude she could tell. She was . . . was tired! That's right. She's very, _very_, tired.

"So we're agreed. We don't want that. So now that that's settled, you can guard me in your own room and I can sleep." Ariella said quickly. He cocked his head to the right and smirked at her. He could tell she was lying straight to his face. Her heart was racing. It was a dead give away, not that she knew that. Her voice also squeaked a bit. Yet another dead give away.

"Are you trying to get rid of me, pet?" Spike questioned her, already knowing the answer to his own question.

"Is it working?" Ariella asked.

"No, but maybe you should try harder." He said as if it was nothing. He gave her a once over, showing her what he was suggesting. He stretched with a yawn and got comfortable in Ariella's bed. The beds here weren't that comfortable. He had already tested his own in his room, but her's was being words. It does good to have money in this world.

"I shouldn't have to be trying anything! It's my dorm room, not yours." Ariella huffed as she moved her small hands back to her petite waist. Bad idea on her part. Spike licked his lips as he watched her. She saw the look of hunger in his eyes. A shiver ran down her spine just by looking into his blue eyes.

"I hear they're considering co-ed dorm rooms pet. Maybe I might just live here." Spike told her. Her jaw dropped. She, Ariella Garwin, was speechless. It's only ever once been done where she didn't have a comeback or a thought in her head because of someone. That only someone being Reid.

"By _here_, I'm hoping you mean out _there_." Ariella said as she pointed to the door. He caught the meaning of her words. He wasn't going to give in to her. Hell no. Spike, the big bad, does _not_ give in to a human girl. He smirked and tilted his head back to the left.

"But luv, your bed is so much more comfortable than mine." He said with a smirk playing on his pale lips. She shot him a glare. This guy just doesn't give up does he? Good, because neither does she.

"Get your own. How does that sound?" She told him, her glare never wavering once. He chuckled at her 'don't give up' attitude. She wasn't getting rid of him that easily. Something about her called to him. Was it her blood? Her looks? Her innocence? He just didn't know. But he sure as hell was going to find out.

"Sharing is caring though, pet." He said in a low voice. It just drew her in more to him. She shook her head. She knew that she couldn't let him stay. He'd end up staying the whole night. She didn't know this man at all.

"Who says I ever share?" She shot back. She smiled seeing his smirk waver a bit. His smirk, much to her delight, returned. He stood up and made his way over to her, stay only mere inches from her. She froze. What was he doing?

"Good. I don't either, pet." He purred into her ear. She shivered for the third time since she returned home from the party. He smirked knowing this was going on. He heart was racing. He was in heaven, yet at the same time at hell. He couldn't suck her dry. She was too important. Something was pulling him back. He wanted to know what. She took a side step away from her before he could touch her soft skin. She opened her door and pointed to the hall, not once speaking another word to this stranger.

He chuckled, getting the message she was sending him. _'Get the hell out'_. He nodded with a chuckle and walked right out her door, but stopped right next to her. He turned and walked right up to her, towering over her completely. He leaned in slowly. "I always get what I want, _my_ pet." He said in a husky voice, his lips so close to her ear it made her red. He smirked as his lips came close, too close, to her own lips. He wore a grin of victory seeing that she was fighting still. "_Always.._" He told her before he left, leaving her flustered where she stood.

Ariella yawned as she walked down the hall way to go to her locker. She didn't give herself enough sleep. She couldn't sleep knowing that guy knew where her room was, yet she had no idea who he was. She realized shortly after the man left that she still didn't know his name. She didn't even know if he went to Spencer.

"Late night?" A voice came up behind her. Ariella yawned again and nodded. She shook her head a bit to wake herself up before she turned to look who was talking to her. The girl looked familiar a little bit. Buffy Summers. That's who the girl next to her was. Sarah's new room mate.

"You could say that. You look wide awake though." Ariella giggled. She wished she was wide awake. She didn't have anyone in her classes. If she fell a sleep she was screwed. It was different for her brother. He had Tyler and the others to wake him up if the teacher was looking his way. It really sucked being only a freshman. Buffy giggled too. She's gotten so use to late nights that they didn't affect her like it would a normal person.

"What a little sleep and make up can do, huh?" Buffy joked with Ariella. The two girls laughed together. "So any more clues on who the mystery knight in shining honor is?" Buffy asked the young girl. Ariella blushed thinking of her savior and looked down. Buffy saw this and smiled to herself. Spike left a good impression on her from what she could see.

"Not really. I didn't see him much last night. It happened so quick. One second Aaron's . . . pinning me against a tree." Ariella pauses. Buffy can tell that last night had it's ugly moments she'd rather not remember "The next he's off of me, and I'm crying in this man's arms." Ariella finished telling Buffy. Buffy nodded, it still shocked her Spike didn't come back for a bite. She hasn't seen him since he took off last night.

"Sounds like a real Prince Charming." Buffy smiled as they came up to Ariella's locker. Arella smiled and nodded as she opened her locker and grabbed the right books that she needed. Buffy smiled. Maybe Spike will actually do something right. It's Spike though, Buffy never knows what he'll do next.

"He actually was in my room when I came back from my shower last night." She mumbled to Buffy under her breath. Buffy heard her and her teeth clenched together. She didn't see any bite marks on Ariella's neck. Spike wouldn't be stupid though. If he was to bite someone and change them he would bit somewhere that would be covered up.

"Really? Did he hurt you?" Buffy asked. She wanted so badly for Spike to be completely smart for once. She hoped to god he didn't blow everything by turning Ariella into a vampire. Before Ariella could answer, someone interrupted them.

"Did who hurt Ariella?" Sarah asked as she interrupted the two other blonds. Ariella gulped. If Sarah found out, she would surely tell Caleb. Who would tell Pogue, then he would tell Tyler. Then Tyler would tell Reid. She took a breath. Not that Reid would care though. He'd be like 'finally my sister got some action' while he danced for joy.

"Looks like Ariella's hero knows more about her than she does him. She found him in her room last night." Buffy told Sarah. Sarah looked purely shocked. Buffy knew that the 'hero' they were talking about was Spike, but no one knew she knew already. She needed to be surprise when Spike makes a public appearance. Buffy knew he would be out and about. He knew as well as she did that Ipswich was always dark out, even in the day.

"Details girl." Sarah demanded. Buffy looked at her shocked. Sarah looked like the worried easily type. She was acting as if it was normal for a stranger to be in a fifteen year old's room late at night. Buffy was almost horrified seeing this. Ariella looked the same as Buffy at Sarah. Sarah caught the look and turned red on sight. Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say. "So what does he look like? Maybe I've seen him around." Sarah asked, changing the subject quickly. Ariella bits her lips trying to remember the man's face.

"He was tall. Blue eyes. Looked about Caleb and guy's age. Caleb kind of body build. Oh, and white hair". Ariella said with a blush. Sarah looked at her as if she was questioning Ariella's eye sight. White hair? She had to be wrong. It was dark, it could have been a light blond like Reid. Buffy bit back the laugh that wanted to leave her lips at Sarah's expression.

"White hair? Are you sure? He was around our age, right?" Sarah asked Ariella. She nodded, confirming her words a moment ago. Buffy looked behind Ariella and rolled her eyes. Sarah followed Buffy's graze and beamed. Ariella caught on and turned around. Her jaw dropped seeing who was coming to wards them.

"That's him!" She gasped as he approached the girls. He nodded in Sarah and Buffy's direction, only meaning to greet Buffy and not Sarah. He was dressed in a ridiculous uniform and looked like everyone else, only with his own personal touches. Instead of his suit jacket, he's wearing his duster. Ariella giggled seeing how stupid he looked with it on. Spike eyed over Buffy and Ariella. They both could pull off the uniform look quite well, Sarah on the hand. Not so much. She looked too dull and boring.

"Mornin' luvs." He said to the three blonds. He took Ariella's hand and kissed her knuckles slowly, his eyes never leaving her own. "Good morning, pet." He purred to her. She blushed and looked at Buffy for help. Buffy, to Ariella, looked like someone she could count on in the end. She didn't trust Sarah as long as she could throw her. Something about Sarah just didn't sit well with Ariella, never had.

"What are you doing here, Spike?" Buffy asked him with a glare. He was acting like Ariella belonged to him. She wasn't an item he could buy and own. She was a human girl. Spike caught the look of murder in Buffy's eyes and smirked back at her. He knew how she was playing the field. None of the 'sons' and daughter of Ipswich know she had seen him at the party.

"You two know each other?" Sarah asked as she looked between the two. Spike shrugged. He wasn't particularly pleased with knowing the slayer on a friendly term. Buffy just glared at him. Ariella watched with interest.

"You could say that." Buffy answered for the two. Spike shrugged again. His eyes were locked with Ariella's. Her eyes held so many questions in them. She was as curious as she was stunning. The warning bell went off, meaning that students should start to head for their classes.

"Buffy we have trig with the guys. We'll see you later, Ella?" Sarah asked as Ariella shut her locker. She nodded to Sarah and smiled at her and Buffy. Spike looked at his schedule and smirked. He knew exactly where his class was. He also knew where Ariella's was. Buffy made him make sure that he got classes near to her's and with Tyler and Reid. "Where are you headed, Spike was it?" Sarah asked him. He looked at his paper once more.

"History 105." He read out loud. Ariella's jaw dropped. He was going the same way she was. Sarah knew this too. She smiled as she looked at the two people across from her and Buffy. Buffy wanted to laugh at the look in Sarah's eyes.

"Ariella isn't your class down that way too?" Sarah asked out to her younger friend. Ariella's eyes widened. She didn't. Ariella looked for help from Buffy. No help. Buffy was trying her best not to laugh. Spike looked down at her in interest. No words were said after that. Spike nodded to Sarah and Buffy before taking Ariella's bag from her. He wrapped his free arm around her waist and guided her off the other way. Arella looked over her shoulder to see Buffy and Sarah both giggling.  
　

******  
Sarah and Buffy walked into their class in full out conversation. What about? What else? How cute Spike and Ariella had been in the hallway. Truth be told, Buffy was praying Spike actually got Ariella to her class and didn't do anything stupid. They found their seats in front of Tyler and Reid. Reid phased out the girl's chit chat right away. That was until Sarah said something she shouldn't have, yet again.

"She needs someone that will help her let loose and Spike looks like the guy to do that. I think he would be good for Ariella. He's everything she needs and more." Sarah said to Buffy. Reid's eyes opened and glared at the fake blond in front of Tyler. He leaned forward, his head in between the two girls.

"I think I'm the only one who gets to pick a guy who is 'good' for my sister." He butted in. Sarah shot him a glare for interrupting. Buffy didn't say anything, only because she knew he was, kind of, right. It was Ariella's choice about who is good for her or not. Reid got more of a say than Sarah did though. What with he being her brother and all.

"Reid if it was up to you, Ariella would be pregnant in a week." Sarah shot back at him. He growled at her, wanting to hit her so badly. If only she was a guy. Wait. He could make her one then change her back. Buffy placed her hand on his and gave him a look. She was on his side in this. Sarah took it too far.

"I'm sure you'd pick a great guy for her Reid. I don't know you that well, but I have a sister of my own. We fight all the time, but in the end we know what's best for the other." Buffy said to him. He nodded, thanking her. Sarah huffed and got ready for class. Buffy let out a breath. She missed her sister and everyone else back home. Class began shortly after that. Caleb and Pogue had showed up and took the two seats next to Sarah. It wasn't long until something was placed in her pony tail. She grabbed what ever it was and saw that it was a note. She looked back at Reid and saw him staring at the note in her hand. He wanted her to open it. So she did.

_'Thanks'_

Buffy smiled and looked back at him and nodded he was welcome. Reid smirked and winked at her back. She turned back around and returned to taking notes, not noticing the look on Sarah's face as she watched the two.


	4. Have A Cookie

_**Disclaimer- **__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot_

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_******************_

She was only coming to these swim sessions because she was forced. In all honestly, the concept of swimming bored her to death. Sarah never has to come. Ariella never really knew if that was because she and Caleb haven't been dating long, or that they just didn't care enough to tell her to come? So here she sat, like every other time she was here. In the bleachers next to her brother and his best friend.

"Stop pouting shrimp. Just deal with it." Reid said with a roll of his eyes to his little sister. She was annoying him with the pouting. She always pouted every time he sees her. He hasn't seen her smile, really smile, since Pogue and Caleb thought it would be funny to soak him to the bone with tomato sauce.

"So what did the Provost want?" Tyler asked Caleb. Ariella looked confused at Caleb and Pogue, who had just arrived to the group. When was Caleb called down to the Provost's office? What did Caleb do? Ariella listened for Caleb's explanation.

"Someone told him about the fight at Nicky's." Caleb said as he looked at the pool. Ariella's head shot up. She looked over her brother. She had bumped into him and Tyler last night when they came back. Reid looked in bad shape. Now that explained it. Who did her brother get into a fight with though? Why was Caleb called in and not Reid?

"What fight?" Ariella asked out, only she was ignored. "Guys, what fight?" Ariella asked again. She was ignored, again. Reid shot Caleb a look. He didn't want Ariella to know about the fight he and Caleb had the night before. He would never hear the end of it. She's told him over and over again that he shouldn't use when it's not needed.

"Care to elaborate on that?" Reid asked Caleb. Ariella knew she was going to keep being ignored, so she stayed silent. She saw Caleb give Reid a short glare before Pogue reached out his hand to Reid's hair.

"You got a piece of glass on your face." Pogue said to her brother. Reid slapped his hand away and the four chuckled. Ariella looked even more concerned. Why did Reid have glass on his face at all? How bad of fight was he in? Did he fight Caleb? Is that why Caleb was called in?

She didn't get a chance to ask anymore question because the boys were called to the pool. They all, except Reid who ruffled her hair, kissed her cheek before leaving. She stuck her tongue out at her brother, but he just ignored her. She frowned and sighed. She was right. Last night was a one time thing for Reid to act like a brother to her.

"Now why would such a beautiful girl be so upset?" Ariella looked to her right, where her brother had just been, and saw another boy standing there. He's new. She knew that because she's never seen him in swim sessions before. He was dressed in the school's logo speedios. She smiled as she tilted her head to the right. Some times she looked and acted too much like her brother.

"And you are?" Ariella asked with a bit of seduction in her voice. She really needed to stop hanging around her brother and the other boys so much. The boy smiled back at her with mischief playing in his eyes. He was good looking. Had a well toned body. Something about him though sent chills down her spine.

"Collins. Chase Collins. You're Reid's sister, aren't you?" Chase asked her. Ariella bit her lip and nodded. She didn't mind being known as Reid's little sister, but she never knew if people would just talk to her to get closer to Reid. She frowned, but only for a moment, at the thought.

"I'm Ariella." She introduced herself to him. She held out her hand for him to shake, only he took her hand kissed her knuckled roughly. It wasn't like when Spike did this. She smiled weakly and pulled her hand away. She nodded to him with a smile. She looked past Chase and her smile beamed. "Buffy! Over here!" She shouted to her new friend. Chase seemed to back off a bit when the other blond joined them.

"Hey Ariella. Who's your friend?" Buffy asked curious seeing a strange boy with Ariella. She looked uncomfortable, even more than she did with Spike, when she walked in the pool area. She looked flustered with Spike, not how she did now with this boy. Ariella smiled at Chase weakly.

"This is Chase Collins. He's new like you and Spike." Ariella told Buffy. Buffy nodded and got on the bleachers and seated herself next to Ariella. She glanced at the pool to see Tyler and Reid about to race in the water. Chase extended his hand to Buffy. She shook it, a shock went through her veins when he touched her. Something was off about him.

"Buffy Summers." She said as she shook his hand. He nodded and gave her a toothy smirk. Buffy didn't like this guy. Something was off about him. Spike didn't even give her these vibes when they first met. He was telling to kill her back then too, he still tries once and a while to get a good shot in.

"Collins! Stop flirting and get in the pool!" The coach shouted. Chase winked at the two blonds and went to go in the pool. Arella turned red on sight from the coaches statement. Chase wasn't flirting with her and Buffy. Buffy maybe, but not her.

"He seems, okay?" Buffy said once he was gone from hearing distance. Ariella shook her head a little and looked at Buffy. She nodded. Ariella noticed that Tyler had won his and Reid's race and Caleb and Pogue were teasing Reid.

"Were you at Nicky's last night with the boys and Sarah?" Ariella asked her. Sarah would bring her, wouldn't she? They were room mates after all. Did Spike go too? Did he stay at the dorms? Why is she obsessing over him? Why does she even care? She only knows one thing about him really. His name, or well his first name.

"No. Spike came over." Buffy told her. She wasn't lying. He really did come over. They needed to go over how things were going and if they were getting any closer to ending this hunt. Arella frowned. Was Spike and Buffy, together? They do know each other. They both came from the same town. It wouldn't be far fetched for them to be an item.

"Oh." Ariella said sadly. Of course the guy that showed interest, or what she thought was interest, would be with the girl he already knew. How could Ariella be so stupid? No one would put her first. Why would she even think someone could like her? Buffy caught the sadness in the girl's eyes. Did she think Spike her were together? She took what she said the wrong way? Buffy smiled weakly at Ariella. At least Spike was doing something right.

"Oh god no! You don't think that Spike and I are . . . are together, do you?" Buffy said with distaste in her voice. It grossed her out to no point just at the idea of her and Spike. He was pig that never gave up. He never shuts up! Ariella blushed and nodded as she tried not to smile at Buffy. She was secretly happy, for some reason, that Spike and Buffy weren't together.

"Hey Angel!" Ariella's head shot up and looked at the pool. She saw Chase in the pool motioning her over to him. She smiled at Buffy before getting up to go over to him. Buffy got up and went over to Pogue, who had just came out of the pool. She snuck up behind him and saw that he was, too, watching Chase and Ariella. She could tell Pogue didn't trust him either.

"You don't trust him, do you?" Buffy asked as she came to a stop next to him. Pogue looked down at the new blond. They hadn't formally met yet, but they knew who the other was. Buffy was Sarah's new room mate. Pogue was Sarah's boyfriend's best friend.

"Do you? It's Pogue by the way." Pogue said as he held out his hand to her. She smiled up at him and took his hand in her own.

"Buffy." She introduced herself formally to him. They shook hands quickly. "I just met him, but no. Something about him just, just seems off about him" Buffy confessed to him. Pogue nodded, he felt the same way on Chase. They watched as Ariella laughed at something Chase had said to her.  
　

******  
Buffy sat across from Spike at the lunch table Sarah had told her to go find in their last class together. Spike looked bored out his mind. He looked quite funny in his uniform, this time with out his duster on. Buffy picked at her food in front of her.

"Ick, I don't know how you _humans_ can eat that stuff." Spike hissed as he looked at his tray in disgust. Buffy rolled her eyes. She couldn't disagree though. She never liked school lunch, even though granted this is better than the last school she went to, it was still school food. She leaned in closer to him so she could whisper.

"Well, it's not like there's an option for blood, so shut up and eat." Buffy whispered in a demanding tone to him. She picked up a cookie she had bought and shoved it in his mouth before he could say another word. She leaned back in her seat as he took the cookie out his mouth and chewed, with a sour face, the cookie.

"I might try to bite _someone_ before some_thing_ gets to her first." Spike says back to her once he swallows his cookie bite. Buffy looked at him puzzled. She knew the 'someone' he was talking about, but not the 'something'. He had said something about someone watching the youngest of the group, but not much.

"Wait, what's that suppose to mean?" Buffy hissed at him. He didn't even try to whisper that. He smirked and looked around. None of the others were in sight. He didn't get a chance to answer because Sarah, Caleb, and Pogue sat down next to them. Reid and Tyler sat down soon after them.

"Hey Buffy, I heard you went to the swim practice. How'd you like it?" Sarah asked as she got comfortable under Caleb's arm. Buffy smiled at her. Spike looked at her strange. Buffy actually went to one of those classes? Since when did she manage to sign up?

"It was fine. Ariella and I talked through most of it. It was fun cheering on the guys too." Buffy told her. Spike caught on then that Buffy didn't actually practice her stokes at the pool, she was there to watch. At the mention of Ariella's name, he got curious as to where she was. Did the lower grades not come to their lunch? Buffy caught his look, which she knew no one was suppose to see. He was worried. She's only seen it once or twice coming from him. "Where's Ariella? Is she still in class?" Buffy asked out to the group.

"Oh I think I saw her at her locker with that new guy. I think his name was Chase?" Sarah said to Buffy. Buffy noticed how Spike's teeth clenched. She wanted to laugh at him so badly. Spike, the big bad, was jealous.

"Damn, Arella was really that gullible to believe the guy. Kids works almost as fast I do." Reid said with a laugh. Spike made a low growl only Buffy heard. Tyler and the boys looked at Reid to see if he was serious. Did he care at all?

"Maybe you should keep an eye on him then, mate." Spike butted in. The three boys and Buffy nodded. Sarah was on Reid's side, for once. She always thought Ariella could use a man. If it wasn't going to be Spike, maybe Chase would do?

"He's right man." Pogue said before taking a big bite out of his food. Spike nodded thanks for backing him up. He already didn't like this kid. His hate only grew the longer Ariella was missing from their group. He should have met her at her class room, but he couldn't. He wasn't suppose to know which class she had. Spike's head shot up upon hearing Ariella's laughter close by.

"It's him." He breathed out under his breath. Only Buffy actually heard him though. She turned around and saw Chase with his arm around Arella's shoulders as they were heading over to the table. Ariella sat on the other side of Buffy and Chase sat next to her. Reid stood up and did a 'guy hand shake' with Chase with a 'Hey man' along with it. Ariella blushed under Spike's gaze. He smirked at this. This 'Chase' guy can't be that impressive if she's still blushing because of him. Tyler and Buffy had been the only ones to caught the little 'moment' between Spike and Ariella. Tyler shifted in his seat uncomfortable. Buffy sent him a 'Same here' look. Tyler smiled shyly at her and cleared his throat. Spike looked up from his and Ariella's stare down to look at Tyler. Ariella, nervously, played with her hair by twisting it with her finger.

"So, do we need to have the 'if you hurt Ariella, well, we hurt you' talk?" Pogue laughed to Chase. Ariella wanted to hit him so hard for saying that in front of everyone. Chase chuckled at how embarrassed Ariella looked. Spike wanted to tear Chase apart at the moment. No way would Ariella go for this poser.

"No, not yet." Chase laughed back as he stared at Ariella. Spike saw the hunger look he was giving Ariella. It wasn't the look he gave his pray. It was more like a power hungry look in his eyes. This was the guy that was watching her that night. He reeked of too much power flowing through him.

"Hey mate, I'm looking for a room mate. You interested?" Spike said to Chase, the whole time he was smirking as he looked at Ariella. Chase coughed and caught that Spike's eyes never left Ariella's as her own never left his either. Buffy caught this too. She was not happy. Ariella blushed, knowing he was hinting at how he had asked her before. She looked at the food in front of her and played with her hair. Buffy kicked him in the leg under the table. Hard.

"Sorry. I managed to snag a signal of my own, and not giving it up anytime soon" Chase chuckled as he lifted his head from his own food. Spike frowned and glared at Buffy. She was lucky no one caught his jolt from her kick. The others at the table started laughing. Buffy shot Spike a 'we'll talk later' look. Spike rolled his eyes at her and took another, angry, bite out of his cookie.


	5. Attached?

_**Important info- **__This story takes place a few months before 'Kitten's playing with fire' sorry if that confuses you at all and I hope my readers enjoy this as much as they do my other cross over. Kitten's playing with fire will be put on hold until this story is finished. Sorry for any disapointments_

_**Disclaimer-**__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot of the story. _

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_Enojy!,_

_Bella3_

_**************************_

The sky was dark as the clouds scattered themselves in the night sky. The school looked deserted, not a soul in sight. No lights were lit in the dorms, besides one. She found him leaning against one of the many trees smoking one of his cigarettes. She walked right past him into the woods, him following not far behind. They stopped once they far enough from the school, but not far enough that it would be a long walk back.

"We need to end this soon, before what ever is coming, comes" Buffy said as turned to look at him. His head snapped up to glare at her. He didn't _want_ to end this. He didn't want to back just yet. They've only been here for a few days, they didn't even have any leads that boys are evil yet.

"Buffy, you can't be serious. You're never this reckless. We don't have any leads yet" Spike said to her. Buffy looked at him confused. Since when has Spike ever questioned her? He was the one who had complained when they first got here that he wanted this to be over quickly. What changed? Oh no, he didn't.

"Oh don't tell me you're getting attached, Spike" Buffy said with a groan. That was the one rule. Don't _ever_ get attached. She got attached with Angel and look how that ended? Spike looked at her as if she was nutty. Of course he wasn't attached! He didn't get attached. He was the Big Bad.

"Of course not" He said back to her in an annoyed tone. He couldn't believe Buffy would accuse him of being 'attached' to this hunt. Attached to _her_. He knew Buffy was talking about her. Who else would she be talking about? It deffinally wasn't Sarah he would get attached too, or the town it's self. No way in hell would be the 'Sons of Ipswich' that he would grow attached to.

"You know not to get attached Spike" Buffy said, her tone almost sounded sad. He looked at her just as determined to prove her wrong. He didn't get attached. She should know that by now. She knows the consequences of getting attached better than anyone.

"You're one to talk luv." He didn't regret his words. He was right, in a sense. She shouldn't be telling him this. He knows this. She had to have been warned about Angel and how it would end badly. Buffy punched him, sending his head back by the impact. He held his nose in pain. His demon face appeared as he glared, bearing his teeth, at her.

"You're a bastard, you know that Spike? But you know you're going soft because of her! You're attached too her Spike!" Buffy yelled at him. She knew no one would hear her. She was loud enough to make her point, but not enough for someone to hear her at the school.

"I'll show you attached" Spike growled in her face before he took off back to the school. Buffy knew what he was going to try to do. She should go after him. She normally would go after him, but he needs to learn. She just hopes he doesn't screw everything up.

******

Spike stalked down the hall of the girl's dorms. He was determined and was going to prove Buffy wrong. He wasn't soft. He wasn't attached. He looked at the door numbers as he walked by them. 175. 176. 177. Aha! He opened the door with a force, giving the girl inside a fright.

"Spike?" She asked as he came inside her room, shutting the door behind him "What are you . . ." She was cut off by him pulling, rather roughly, off her bed and to her feet. "Oww" She cried as she felt his grip tighten on her wrists. He grabbed her arms with a tight grip and held her where she stood.

"Don't talk" He demanded. He was scaring Ariella. She struggled, trying to get out of his grip. He wasn't budging at all. She had tears running down her cheeks. What was he doing? Was he going to rape her? Why is he doing this to her? Her mind was racing at the moment with so many questions.

"You're hurting me Spike" She begged him as she cried out to him. His grip never loosened though. He needed to get her quiet and stop struggling. He jerked her a little, making her stop struggling because of the pain now shooting through her arms. She yelped at the sudden pain. He threw her back onto her bed and pinned her down on it as he climbed on top of her. She cried as he moved her hair behind her ear, revealing her neck. He caressed her cheek in a loving motion. He leaned in to bite her neck, but stopped.

"Spike, please? Please let me go" She begged him. He looked into her blue eyes and froze. Her blue eyes were red and puffy from crying, yet they still made him stop. They were clouded over with her tears. Her eyes screamed fear to him. That should excite him, so why did it make him sick? He let her wrists go and he got off her and backed up into her door.

"What have I done?" He asked himself as he watched her wipe away her tears. She didn't dare get up and go near him. She was shaking, no trembling, in fear. She was afraid, of him. He knew she thought of him as a monster now. He _was_ a monster. "Ariella, I'm . . . I'm . . ." He couldn't even say it. He wanted to bite her, but her eyes stopped him. _She_ had stopped _him_. He shook his head and quickly left her room. Ariella stared at her door. He stopped. Was he even sorry? She sat on her and just sat there, staring a her wall with a blank stare. She couldn't sleep now. She'd see _him_ if she did.

******

Sarah was worried. Ariella and she had made plans to meet for breakfast, like they do every first Wednesday of the month, before class in the café. So here she sat, only Arella wasn't here yet. Ariella was never late, it was always Sarah who was late. Sarah knew deep down something was wrong. She got up and took out her cell phone while she raced out of the café and on her way to the dorms.

******

Caleb was in his car on his way to Spencer when his cell phone rang. He looked at the id and saw that it was Sarah. He quickly answered it and put the phone to his ear.

"Hey, what's up?" He answered the phone

"Caleb, some thing's wrong. Ariella never showed to our breakfast date. She's never late Caleb, you know that. She would have called if she was. I can feel it Caleb. Some thing's wrong" Sarah said into her phone as she rushed to the dorms. Caleb froze. He had woke up from someone 'using' last night. Did someone use on Ariella? Did she get hurt?

"I'm on my way. Call Reid and tell him to meet us there" Caleb said before hanging up his phone and shifting gears. He speeds up and races to go meet Sarah. If something was wrong, he'd blame himself. It's now the second time he's woke up to this darkling. It would be his fault if she was hurt.

******

Sarah had taken a turn to the boy's floor and gone to Reid and Tyler's room first. She now stood at their door, banging her fist to the wood. "Guys it's Sarah! Open up!" She shouted as she banged on the door. She didn't care if she woke anyone up. She needed Reid. Ariella was his sister. He should know if some thing's wrong with her. The door opened and Sarah stopped her banging to come face to face with a sleepy Reid.

"What?" He growled, obviously she had woken him up. She didn't care one bit. Caleb told her to get Reid, so she was getting Reid. He looked impatient though. She didn't see Tyler in the room. He must be showering or something.

"C'mon. Some thing's wrong with Ariella" She said before she grabbed his hand and dragged him down the hall. They ended up sprinting down to Ariella's room, where they waiting for Caleb. They didn't wait long, he had showed up only moments after them. They barged into the room, but stopped upon what they found.

There, on Ariella's bed, was Ariella curled up in a ball, her eyes wide open. Her cheeks were tear stained and her blue eyes were red and puffy from crying. She had dark purple circles under her eyes. She looked like a zombie version of the usual bright eyed Ariella.

"Ariella" Caleb said under his breath upon seeing her. He hurried to her bed and sat down on the edge of her bed. He placed his hand on her arm gently. She shot up from her spot on her bed and hit the back board of her bed.

"No! Don't touch me!" She screamed out. Caleb looked hurt seeing her do this. Reid was fully awake and alert now. Sarah looked confused and worried as she stood by the door. Reid had taken a step inside instinctively. Caleb reached out again, only she screamed and jumped off her bed. She ran right into Reid. "No! Don't! Let me go!" She screamed out as she struggled in her brother's arms. Reid was shocked and worried. He had no clue what to do. The whole calming someone like Ariella down was Tyler and Caleb's department.

"Ariella, it's me! It's Reid! Snap the hell out of it Ella!" Reid yelled, giving his sister a little jerk. She whimpered at the motion. She looked him in the eye and broke down. Her knees gave out, luckily Reid was there to catch her. She sobbed as she held onto him for dear life.

He looked at Caleb and Sarah sadly. Caleb motioned for Sarah to get a wet cloth from the bathroom as Reid picked Ariella up in his arms. He carried her over to her bed and gently laid her down. She curled up and sobbed as she gripped onto her sheets. Sarah squeezed in between Reid and got on the floor in front of Ariella. She placed the wet cloth on her forehead and dabbed it gently on her hot skin.

******

It took the three a half hours to get her to calm down and close her eyes. They saw that her breathing had slowed and evened out, she was a sleep. Sarah stayed on the floor in front of the younger girl the whole time. She brushed Ariella's hair out of her face before looking sadly up at Caleb and the others. Caleb had called Pogue and Tyler and told them to come to Ariella's room.

Reid had run out of the room when she finally closed her eyes. No body blamed him for running out. No brother wants to see their little sister like this. Ariella was a mess, and none of them knew why. Tyler was sitting on the bed with her, tracing patterns on her arm. Caleb and Pogue were talking in hushed tones by the door.

"We all can't skip class you know. The teachers will think something is up" Sarah blurted out as she dabbed the cloth on the girl in front of her's forehead. The three boys looked at her and sighed. They knew she was right deep down, but none of them wanted to leave Ariella.

"We can take shifts. I'll take first shift. Then Pogue, and Reid after him. Tyler'll stay after Reid. Sarah you go get her work she's missing and take notes for us?" Caleb planned out. Sarah nodded and got up from the floor. Tyler took her spot on the floor with the cloth as she gave Caleb a quick kiss before hurrying off to class. Pogue left soon after with Tyler. Tyler called Reid and told him about the shifts on his way to his first class.

******

She hasn't woke up the whole day, not once. That worried everyone. Did she get any sleep at all last night? No one would know what happened until she woke up either. Reid was the only one that wouldn't come to his shift, Sarah had to come. Caleb wasn't too pleased about that. He didn't want Ariella mumbling in her sleep about their secret. Now it was Tyler's shift and they were beginning to worry more. She hasn't as much as tossed in her sleep. The only way they know she's alive would be by her chest rising and falling.

Sarah had come by a half hour ago to drop off her school work. Tyler ended up doing it for Ariella. He didn't think it was right to make her do class work while she's in the middle of a break down. Plus he's already done this. It didn't take him too long to finish it. It wasn't until a hour later from when he finished her school work that she started to whimper in her sleep. She tossed and turned as she cried out.

"Please don't" She whimpered out as she tossed in her sleep. Tyler jumped to her side. He had to do something. She was having a nightmare. She looked scared and had tears in her eyes.

"Ella. Ella, you need to wake up. You're having a bad dream. Ella, please wake up" Tyler said as he shook her gently. She continued to toss and turn as she pleaded. Just then, when Tyler was about to give up on waking her, she awoke with a scream. "I'm here Ella. It's Baby boy" He said to her. She looked at him, tears fresh in her eyes.

"Tyler?" She said, her voice so soft he almost didn't hear it. He nodded to her. She collapsed in his arms and sobbed her heart out. He held her in his arms and rocked the both of them back and forth on the bed.

"I've got you. I won't hurt you Ariella"


	6. Did You Know?

_**Disclaimer-**__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot of the story. _

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_Enojy!,_

_Bella3_

_**************************_

It's been three days, three very _long_ days, since Buffy has seen all of the boys more than a minute a day. Lately she's only seen three out of the four boys at a time. Oddly enough, Reid is one she sees in class everyday. She hasn't seen Ariella once out of the last three day which she found odd since she didn't see Ariella as one to blow everything, and everyone, off.

So here she sat, alone, waiting, with a tray full of untouched food. No body really talked anymore during lunch. They just sat down and quietly ate their food. Buffy could tell something was wrong. Sarah often would just stop talking to Buffy when alone. Not that Buffy minded that much, that blond could really talk. Buffy spotted Caleb and instantly grew more worried. His brown eyes lost that spark in them since she first really talked to him. He sat down a cross from her. He looked almost defeated.

"What's going on Caleb. You know you can tell me" Buffy said truthfully to him. She took his hand in her own and their eyes locked. She knew she should have let go for three very good reasons. One being this was her room mate's boyfriend, second of all he was her target, and finally the tingling sensation going through her hand that was holding him.

"It's Ariella" He said, sadness oozing from his tone. His eyes almost looked hollow as a empty can of pringles. Buffy's blood ran cold. The last she saw Ariella was at the lunch three days ago. Her thoughts then only centered on one thought. Spike. He had been so upset that night. He had went prove her wrong. Had he succeeded?

"What happened Caleb?" Buffy asked more firmly. She was serious. If Spike had anything to do with what ever was going on with Ariella, it wasn't going to be pretty. Caleb took a breath and glanced around. He was the oldest. He knew he shouldn't be telling this to anyone. He was breaking Ariella's trust by telling someone Ariella's own buisness.

"We don't know. All we know is that she's in hystarics. We haven't been able to convince her to leave her room at all. Reid's being an ass and not showing up at all. She's a wreck Buff, and I don't have a clue what to do" Caleb confessed. Buffy sighed, she didn't know either. She could see where Reid was coming from though, even if it was wrong what he was doing, she understood.

"So you have no clue what set her off?" Buffy asked, now curious to know if any of them knew it could have Spike to set her off. Caleb took another glance over his shoulder to see if anyone was coming. No one. He knew Pogue was in Ariella's room for his shift, but where was Reid, Tyler, and Sarah?

"Sarah and Tyler think someone attacked her. Ariella won't let anyone near enough to touch her except those two. She won't let Pogue or I come with in 10 feet of her." Caleb explained to Buffy. Buffy, now, only had one thought on her mind. She was going to kill Spike.

"What is going on here?" Buffy's head shot up the same time Caleb's turned around. There stood Sarah, jealousy flaming in her eyes. She was glaring at something Buffy noticed. It was now that Buffy noticed how close her and Caleb were and that their hands were stilling holding onto the other's. Buffy quickly pulled her hands away and got up from her seat. She quickly picked up her things and made her way around the table

"I, uh, I have to go. Bye guys" Buffy stuttered as she made a quick getaway from Caleb and Sarah. Caleb stood up and looked confused at Buffy's retreating form. He looked at Sarah briefly and gave her a weak smile before picking up his own things.

"I've got class. I'll see you later" He said and kissed her quickly on the cheek before jogging off in the opposite direction Buffy had gone. Sarah stood there alone and confused as hell. What the hell just happen?

******

Buffy kicked in the door to Spike's room. She saw him laying, innocently, on his bed reading a book. He didn't even flinch by her entrance. He knew it was her, and she knew he knew that. Buffy closed the door behind her, or well, more like slammed it shut.

"Slayer" He spoke out showing her he knew she was at his door. She growled and stalked over to him, picking him up by the collar of his shirt, and throwing him across the room. Did he not care that he made that little girl have a break down? She knew it was his fault. All the facts add up. She just happens to be attacked the same night Spike and her got into an agrument? He had wanted to prover her wrong when she said he went soft and he wouldn't bite Ariella.

"I should stake you right now!" Buffy growled at him. He chuckled as he brushed himself off. How many times has she actually said that to him? She took a small stake out of her boot and went to lung at him, but stopped when he held up his hand for her to stop.

"We both know where this is going luv. We tussle, bitch at each other, you threaten me with that pointy stick you have, but you'll put it away in the bloody end. Why don't we skip everything and get to the bloody end, eh love?" Spike said as he walked cautously up to Buffy and lowered the weapon in her hand. She, reluntently, let him to do.

"How could you do that?" Buffy snarled at him. He looked at her puzzled. What the hell was she talking about? How could he tell her how it was? It was true. They have a cycle thing going on. At this point everyone's going to think they're having hot steamy anger sex.

"Do what Slayer? It's bloody true!" Spike groaned as he threw his arms up in the air dramaticly. Buffy rolled her eyes. Of course he didn't know! He'd be stupid enough not to know what he caused.

"Ariella you moron! She won't, no refuses, to leave her room. Caleb says she won't let him or Pogue near her. You did this! I know it for a fact Spike. She's a mess and I haven't even seen her yet." Buffy wanted to yell so much more at him, but she knew people could be listening to them fight. So she settled for growl of some sort. Spike was speechless, for once since Drusilla left him. He knew Ariella would be scared, but he thought it would only be of him. Not everyone else.

"You're lying" He growled at her "You're blood lying!" He yelled before pushing Buffy, making her fall back on his bed, and left his room, and her, alone. Buffy stared at the door he had left through sadly. He really didn't know about Ariella. She looked down at the floor. She just probably made everything worse.

******

He hurt her. He had hurt her. He was a monster. He had always been a monster. How could he forget that for even a second? A part of him knew that night, that as soon as he had stepped into her room, he would be regretting it. He knew what he was doing that night, but he couldn't stop himself from doing it.

So here he sat, hours later, sitting in a tree, with a bottle of the strong stuff every vampire should own, dead drunk. He could see through her window perfectly from here. He took another angry swig of his bottle. She was with _him_. Tyler Simms. Ariella had told him on the way to her class that first day they 'officaly' met that he was her best friend. He got to be close to her. He got to hold her when she was afraid.

Spike watched as the young Simms boy got up, towel in hand, and left the room. If he wanted his chance to, just touch her soft skin, he had to do it now. How is he going to get in there though? He can't go through the window, she's a sleep and can't say he come inside, not that she would if she was awake either. He had permission though. The provist had said he was welcome anywhere on school campus, dorm rooms being under 'anywhere'. So he, alchole and all, heaved himself from the tree to the balcony. He tested the barrior as he opened the doors and stuck his hand inside. Bingo. He was in.

He, drunkenly, made his way over to her bed. He didn't know how long that bugger would take to get back. Spike looked down at the sound a sleep girl before him. So beautiful. So innocent. So, scared. He takes another swig of his bottle and hesitates on whether or not to sit down. So he doesn't. He freezes seeing her toss and turn in her sleep.

"No. Get away" She sobbed in her sleep. He doesn't hesitate to hurry to her side. "Get off" She cries out in a small voice he knew was hers. He bits his lip. Is she dreaming of . . . of what he did to her? Or, well, almost did? He reached out his hand to caress her cheek. He just wanted to feel her soft skin again. He wanted to see her smile at him again. It's been almost a week since he's seen it. Now, now he's afraid he'll never see it again. It would be his fault too. He let his knuckle softly trail down the side of her face, wiping the tears away as he did this.

"I'm sorry my pet" He whispered to her as he moved a strand of her soft blond hair behind her ear. He couldn't risk getting caught in here. Everything would be thrown out the window if he got caught. He'd be ashes by morning. He got up and went over to the window. He froze, coming to halt with a stumble.

"Spike" He heard her call out. Had she woken up? She didn't move, her breathing was hitched, but still slow. She was still sleeping. She was still having a nightmare. She was pleading when she spoke his name. She was pleading for him to stop, just like that night. He shook his head and left through the window. "Help me" she breathed out when he was gone. Her tears creased, a faint smile played on her lips. Ariella shot up in a cold sweat. Her breathing was hitched and it felt as if she couldn't breath a second ago. She looked around. No one was there. She looked at the open window. No, he _was_ here. She shivered. No matter how many times he saves her in her dreams, she could never forget the monster that was him.


	7. That Kind Of Hurt

_**Disclaimer-**__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot of the story. _

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_Enojy!,_

_Bella3_

* * *

It's only been a week since Buffy and Ariella were laughing in the pool. Now? Now everyone is exhausted and broken. Caleb looks like he could sleep a month without waking up. Pogue looks like he could use the sleep too. Reid looked overly stressed, yet still laid back. Maybe because he hasn't seen her since they found her. Tyler looked the worst out of the four boys though.

Buffy wasn't any better. She felt like she was to blame for this. If she had gone after Spike, like her gut had told her to, none of this might be happening. She felt sick every time she saw one of the boys over the long, _long_, week. She felt even sicker when she saw Spike or Sarah. Sarah was still chipper as ever. She complained at night that Caleb never has time for her anymore. No duh on why. Spike held his emotions in like always. He only lets them out when no one was around, or he was very drunk. So here she sat, with Spike, at their usual lunch table. Neither talked. Neither even looked at the other. They didn't even en knowledge anyone else in the room until they heard what both were fearing they wouldn't ever again.

"Come on Ariella. Let's get you some breakfast" They heard Tyler's voice say as he and two others joined the two at the table. Ariella flinched seeing Spike and Buffy and sat two seats over from Buffy. Tyler sat in the middle of the two girls.

"I'll get you that breakfast, Kay Ella?" Pogue said as he left to go find some food for the little girl he considered his own little sister. All of the boys thought of Ariella as their own little sister. Ariella just stared at her shaking hands that were on her lap. Spike stared at her with a hurt expression on his face. She was wearing her uniform with her sleeves covering her hands, but a sliver of her bare skin was showing. He saw something he never wanted to see on her angelic skin. Bruises. That he had put there.

She notices his stare and fidgets with her sleeve to cover her hands completely. She's uncomfortable under his eyes watching her. His eyes drop from her frame slowly, his lips pressed tightly together. Tyler sat between the girls uncomfortably. He would have thought Ariella would have gone to Buffy's side when she saw her, then again Buffy's new. Maybe Ariella just wants to stay by herself and the boys.

Pogue came back and placed a try of food in front of Ariella and sat in the seat across from her. Ariella didn't move to even look like she knew the food was there. The four present frowned seeing this. Ariella looked dead, like she wasn't there at all. Spike even looked more alive than she did. Caleb came soon after and took the seat next to Pogue. He noticed Ariella not eating and was about to say something when . . .

"Coming through, leave this to the professional boys and, beautiful, lady. I present to you a classic scrambled egg and cheese sandwich made by the one and only Mama Garwin" Reid says as he comes up behind Ariella and picks up her tray of food "Lets get rid of this junk" He says as he dumps the tray of food into the garbage, then plops the brown paper bag in front of his sister.

"Reid, what makes you think . . ." Caleb starts, but Reid cuts him off as he sits down.

"That just happens to be Ariella's favorite breakfast meal" Reid says as he looks to see if his sister made any movement to eat the food. She hasn't. "C'mon, I had to go home and get this for you. Be grateful shrimp, and eat the damn thing" He says as he takes the sandwich out of the bag and unwraps it from the plastic wrap. "Eat" he demands her.

Spike made a small unnoticeable growl seeing how Reid was acting. He was acting as if she was baby and wouldn't eat her food. She's traumatized, and he's acting like an ass whole! Buffy kicks him under the table. She saw the death glare he was giving Reid. Reid rolled his eyes and grabbed her hand with his free one, not noticing her wince, and puts the sandwich in her hand.

"I _said_ eat Ariella Elizabeth Garwin" He said with a firm tone. She looked wide eyes at him, innocence playing in her features. They were all shocked to see her nod a small nod to her brother. She took a small bite and chewed. "Good" He said seeing her take another bite. The others, besides Spike, smile softly seeing her eating again. Spike was glad to see her eating, but it angered him on how Reid went about it. Spike was the only one that noticed the wince she did.

"It's good to see you eating again, Ariella" Caleb spoke up with a weak smile. Ariella didn't answer back. Reid clapped his hands together with a smirk. Everyone looked at him, even Ariella, who was still eating her sandwich.

"Boss man's right, for once. Baby girl's eating again. This calls for a celebration. You, my little sister, are going to dinner with me tonight. We'll see you all at Nicky's after" Reid said to the group. Everyone nodded, except Spike and Buffy, who didn't know what Nicky's was.

"Who's Nicky's?" Buffy asked out to the group. The four boys started chuckling to themselves. Even Ariella managed to crack a, very, small smile at this. Of course they did really know what Nicky's was, how could they not? Xander made sure they knew where the hot spots were, but the boys didn't know that.

"Nicky's a bar Buff. We always go there to kick back and relax. Ariella's only gone a few times since she's only 15. Nicky 'bends' the rules alittle for her. He doesn't let her drink or anything, just lets her play pool and dance." Caleb explained to Buffy. She nodded and smiled at Caleb. Caleb smiled back at her. Both were entranced in each other's eyes.

"Sounds fun" Buffy smiled as she and Caleb's stare never broke. Caleb gave her a toothy grin and nodded. Pogue and the others could see what was going on. Some wanted to gag. Others wanted to 'aww' at them. They could all agree Buffy could handle Caleb's life better than Sarah ever could. Sarah doesn't . . . fit.

******

Reid closed his locker and saw his sister and best friend coming down the hall. She was still moping from the looks of it. What happened to his bubbly smiling little sister? All she's done for the past week, oh so Tyler's told him, is mope around. He walked up and wrapped his ams around the two, not noticing his sister wince again. He leaned close to his sister's ear, close enough that it made it hard for Tyler to hear.

"So, are you ever going to tell me what happened that night?" He whispered with a smirk to her. She froze, coming to a halt. Tyler watched as she glared at her brother. If looks could kill, Reid would be six feet under.

"Go away" She growled at him. He smirked. He was getting a reaction from her. Just what he wanted. He couldn't let this chance pass him by. He stuck his hands in his pockets and smirked down at his sister.

"What? Did you ruin your rep as school innocent?" Reid whispered in her ear. A chill traveled down her spine. Did he think she was easy? She clenched her teeth tightly together. She wanted to hit her brother so badly.

"Shut up" She muttered, trying her best to hold back all her freshly opened emotions. A million thoughts ran through her head at that very second. Did Reid think of his little sister as easy? Is that what Spike thought the night he attacked her? Does she make herself come off like that?

"Make me" He grinned down at her. He took a step closer to her. She felt uncomfortable with him being so close to her. Spike got too close, and look how that night ended. He grabbed her arm tightly and opened the door next to him. He knew it was empty this period. He shoved her inside it and closed the door after him. She yelped from his grip.

Tyler just stood there, completely lost. He didn't know what the hell just happened here. Pogue came up next to him and turned him around as he guided Tyler away from the class room door. "Just keep walking Baby boy. Just keep walking" He mumbled as the two left the scene.

******

"What the hell is your problem?" Reid shouted to her. Ariella pushed him off and backed up. Her problem? What was her problem? Did he serious ask her that? She really wanted to hit him now.

"My problem? You just called me a slut, Reid! What's _your_ problem?" Ariella screams at him. He's taken back for a second. His problem? He knew what his problem was, but did she know what her's was?

"My _problem_ Ariella, well, that would be you!" Reid shouted at her. That made her flinch. She knew that was true. She was always Reid's problem. She knew he hated being her real brother. He didn't want the problem of watching her like a big brother should.

"Don't you think I know that?" Ariella sobbed back at him. She knew she had always been his problem. She was a pain he couldn't remove permanently. She'd always be there. She was everything he wasn't, or rather, he was everything she wasn't.

"No. No, I really don't think you do. My problem is your moping, Ariella! All you've fucking been doing is mope!" Reid yelled. It took her by surprise to say the least. Ariella didn't see why he cared. He never even came to see how she was the whole past week. He only came that first time because he was forced to by Sarah.

"Why do you care?" Ariella screamed. Reid looked at her with a ice cold glare. How could she even ask that? Ariella stood her ground. She knew she had to when Reid was involved. She has to be on her best guard.

"I just do" Reid growled

"That's _not_ a good enough answer" Ariella hissed at him, biting back her sob that wanted to be released so badly. She wanted to say so many things to him right now. It was now or never in her books. They were alone and could dish it out. But knowing Reid, he'd just say 'fuck this' and leave her alone.

"I'm your brother. That makes it a good enough answer" Reid hissed back at her. He was pulling the big brother card on her? Now? He's about 15 years too late to be pulling out that one. 'I'm your brother' isn't just going to cut it anymore for Ariella. She walked right up to her brother and glared up at him the best she could. He could see the tears threating to fall from her eyes.

"You never care about anything that isn't about you, _brother_" Ariella growled at him, clenching her teeth tightly together as she said this. Her tiny fist were clutched at her sides. Reid was just asking for it in her mind. Here she was, just attacked by a guy you thought cared for you for once in your life, and her so called big brother is saying he cares, when she knows for a fact he doesn't.

"Is that so?" Reid said as he took a step closer to her. She needed to leave, and she needed to leave now. Reid saw that she was about to leave, but he wasn't done with her yet. He grabbed her wrist, making her yelp out in pain. He hadn't even had a tight grip. Something was going on, he was going to find out what it is too.

"Reid" She warned, but he ignored her completely. He pulled her sleeve back so her lower arm was uncovered. His coal black eyes darkened if possible seeing the bruise around her wrist. It was shaped like a hand too. He thought back to the whole day. He had missed all the signs earlier. She winced at every touch he gave her. She had tears when he pulled on her arm. His eyes flamed, and a second later her sweater was off, leaving her in just her tank top, and laying on the floor. There on her arms were dark hand print shaped bruises.

"Where did you get these?" He growled as he looked the rest of her exposed body parts over. She pulled out of his grasp and took a step back, picking her sweater up in one swift movement. She pulled it back on and covered herself up quickly.

"It doesn't matter, Reid. You don't give a damn anyways" Ariella hissed at her brother. Hurt flashed in Reid's expression quickly. How could she even think, let alone say that? Ariella wiped her tears and sniffed as an attempt to stay strong in front of her brother.

"I do care Ari . . ." Reid was cut off by the slap of her hand to his face. He held his red cheek and glared at her, his eyes still pitch black. "Wow, that kinda hurt" He mumbled as he felt his stinging cheek. Ariella, most of her anger completely forgotten, rolled her eyes at her brother.

"That was the point" She tells him. He rolls his own eyes at her this time and goes to leave like nothing had just happened "Remember to pick me up, hurt face or not!" Ariella shouts over to him before he leaves the room. He grumbles something she can't understand and just waves his hand as an 'okay' and left.


	8. To Trust Or Not To Trust

_**Disclaimer-**__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot of the story. _

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ipswich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught in between the crossfire._

_Enjoy!,_

_Bella_

* * *

Ariella picked at her food as Reid golfed his down in one breath. He even took a few bites from her plate. She smiled watching him, this was normal for them. Ariella would pick the biggest meal out of the two surprisingly. Reid would always say she couldn't eat more than a small chicken finger meal and a coke. She always ends up full before she even really makes a dent in her food. Reid ends up eating his own and her own. She always wondered how he could stay so in shape, when he pigs out so much?

"Oh don't tell me, Ariella 'I can eat a whole meal just fine' Garwin, is full?" Reid teased his sister. She stuck her tongue out at him and giggled. She wasn't perfectly back to normal, but she was getting there. She still didn't feel comfortable knowing Spike and Buffy were going to be at Nicky's with them, but it wasn't like she could be like 'hey, you're uninvited' to them. She knew she shouldn't be nervous around Buffy. It wasn't fair to her because Buffy didn't do anything but be her friend. Buffy was always with Spike though. They were friends. Ariella didn't want Buffy to feel as if she had to choose her over him.

"So when do we go meet the others?" She asked, changing the subject of her eating habits to something else. Reid chewed his, well, her food, and held up his hand in a motion to show her 'one second'. She nodded and waited for him to answer. At least he didn't try to speak with his mouth full of food. Disgusting.

"Right after I pay for this" He said before he called the waitress over and asked for the check. She came back with it only a moments later. Reid took out his wallet and slapped down a 20 dollar bill before getting up. She got up no later than he did. He helped her with her jacket and they left the diner.

******

Reid held the door to Nicky's open for his sister and the two walked inside. Reid spotted the others first and led his sister through the crowd of people. Tyler was the first to notice the siblings and got up. He and Ariella kissed cheeks hello and hugged. He pulled out the chair next to him for her to sit. She smiled and sat down. Spike was fuming. Tyler was everything to Ariella, that he couldn't be.

Spike watched in distaste as Tyler had his arm wrapped around Ariella. He watched as Tyler let her have some of his excuse for a drink. Spike couldn't share his drinks with her. He couldn't wrap his arm around her, not after what he did to her. Well, almost did to her. She didn't deserve that. But Simms didn't deserve her either. No one did.

Ariella wanted to squirm under Spike's stare that was burning holes in her. She wanted to scream and run away from him. She wanted to attack him and see how he liked it. She just wanted to ask why. Why did he almost rape her? Why did he feel the need to almost do to her what he stopped another from doing?

Buffy watched curiously between the two. Spike's stare never left. While Ariella's eyes never once drifted to meet his, even when Buffy knew she wanted to do just that so badly. None of the four boys, nor Sarah, noticed this at all, but Buffy did. She always noticed when this happened. She was the first to catch their looks of need and want. She knew Spike screwed up, but Ariella can't help but hold onto that little part of her heart that wants him. Buffy knew the feeling all too well.

Not long after that did the group split up. Spike, Tyler, and Reid went to go play pool and con some people. Caleb left with Pogue to play some fooseball, leaving Buffy and the girls alone at the table. Buffy caught a figure in the corner of the room and her jaw dropped seeing who it was. She excused herself from the table and disappeared into the crowd.

******

"What are you doing here? You could blow everything Angel" Buffy hissed at her once lover as she approached him. Angel looked around to make sure no one was watching them. All clear. Buffy crossed her arms and waited for an explanation from him.

"Dawn let it slip that you were here, and _why_ you are here, with _him_" Angel said back to Buffy. Buffy rolled her eyes. No doubt Angel charmed the information from her little sister. Dawn's young and she doesn't know any better. She knows hardly anything about Angel. She doesn't know if he's trust worthy or not, well, right no Buffy doesn't either.

"So you know what I'm doing and you know that it's important" Buffy says as she looks over her shoulder. She sees Sarah talking to Ariella, whom looks like she's zoning out completely. She shifts her eyes to the pool table to see Spike actually having some fun for once with Reid and Tyler. They were playing Aaron and his two friends. Easy win for Spike's team. She shifted her eyes again to Caleb and Pogue. They were having a blast too. She smiled weakly at Caleb laughing. Angel snaps his fingers in front of Buffy's face.

"Buffy!"

"What?" Buffy snapped back at him. She, now, understood why Spike snapped at her when she did that to him their first night here. It was just rude and annoying. He shot her a look then moved his eyes to Caleb then back to her with a knowing look. She rolled her eyes. Angel couldn't . . . he couldn't think . . . that she was . . . attached, could he? Buffy had yelled at Spike about getting attached to Ariella. She would be a hypocrite if she was to get attached. Though she couldn't get attached even if she wanted to. Caleb is with Sarah. She liked the others, but not enough to bend the rules for.

"Buffy, you know you can't . . ." Angel started, but was cut off by Buffy. She held her hand up for him to stop. He bared his teeth at her. He hated when she did that. He wasn't a dog for heaven's sakes! He was the person. He had his own free will to say anything.

"Don't you _dare _finish that sentence, Angel. I don't get attached to my job" Buffy said firmly to him. Angel grinned and took a step closer, trapping Buffy against the wall. Buffy looked around for an escaped. Ever since Angel turned evil, or supposedly turned evil, she doesn't know whether to trust him or not. He wasn't the same as he was when they first met.

"You got attached to me, Buffy. Wasn't I your 'job'?" Angel taughted as he touched her arm. After everything he could still make her weak in the knees by a single touch. She had to stay strong though. She had to stay focused. Ariella had enough of Sarah's babbling, so she excused herself and left on the search for Buffy. She just hoped that she wasn't with Spike. She wasn't ready to face him just yet. Her being at the same table as him was killing her enough. She spotted Buffy with some guy, that looked kind of creepy because of how the shadows were reflecting on him.

"That's different. I _thought_ I loved you, but I was wrong." Buffy snarled at him. Angel gripped her arm tightly and growled. She had loved him like he had loved her. She refused to show that he was hurting her. Ariella gasped in horror seeing this. She was about to step in, when the man spoke up again.

"How do you think they're going to react when they find out Buffy? Do you think they'll buy the 'I got attached and couldn't do it, so don't hate me' speech?" Angel pointed out to Buffy. She knew he was right. If they ever found out, she and Spike were screwed. They would have to go through with the kill, attached or not. Ariella only heard bits and pieces of what the man said, but she didn't care. She marched right over to him and Buffy.

"I suggest you leave my friend there alone, tough guy." Ariella said as she held her hands on her hips. Buffy's eyes widened. Had Ariella heard her and Angel? Angel shot her a 'I told you so' look before letting her go and leaving with out another word. "You okay?" Ariella asked as she looked her friend over. Buffy nodded and smiled weakly to the younger girl. A song filled the air and Ariella beamed at Buffy. She didn't say anything until she pretty much dragged Buffy over to one of the game tables, one that just so happened to be the one Caleb and Pogue were at.

"What are you doing Ariella?" Buffy asked her.

"Just have fun tonight Buff. You and Caleb deserve a break, so why not take one together?" She said as she pushed Buffy into Caleb "Don't dance too slow for her Cay-Cay" She shouted as she was walking away from them. Buffy shot the back of Ariella's head a dirty look before she smiled weakly up at Caleb. He had a good height on her.

"You don't have to dance with me if you don't want to" She said shyly to him. He chuckled and just shook his hand as he took her hand and led her to the dance floor. Pogue wolf whistled their way and started laughing uncontrollably. Ariella didn't back down or loose her courage when she arrived at the pool table. She held her head up high and took Reid's hand and started dragging him away.

"Sorry boys, but I'm taking him from you. I'll return him. Maybe!" She laughed as she walked away with Reid, who was laughing, as he watched his small framed sister dance around as she walked back to the dance floor. Tyler was holding back his laughter, even Spike had a small smirk on his lips watching this. Ariella twirled under Reid's arm as they reached their spot on the floor. She sang along to the song that filled the air. Reid sang along as well.

Caleb and Buffy were also having a blast. He moved along perfectly with her. Sarah watched in jealousy as they danced together. Caleb didn't ever dance with her like he was with Buffy before. She could tell something was going on between Buffy and Caleb, she wasn't stupid. She watched as he grinded with her like she was the only person in the room, like they were the only pair on the dance floor. Buffy threw her head back as she laughed out. Caleb dipped her and brought her up slowly to come face to face with him. Sarah couldn't stand it anymore. She was about to go out there and hit Buffy so hard she wouldn't know what hit her, when an arm stopped her in her tracks. She looked up to see Pogue and Spike on each side of her. Tyler was standing behind her. She shot a glare at Pogue, who was the one in her way.

"Don't think so Sare. Caleb's having fun. We're not about to let _you_ ruin that." Pogue said as he held his arm out firmly in her way. Tyler nodded he agreed with Pogue. They haven't seen Caleb have this much fun a long while. They weren't about to take that away from him. Spike hadn't seen Buffy this happy, in well? In forever. She's always been serious or heart broken since he met her.

"You seriously expect me to sit back and watch that whore _slut_ herself all over my boyfriend? Hell no!" Sarah growled back, as she looked at the two boys next to her. Spike growled and grabbed Sarah's wrist and pulled her to face him. He beared his teeth at her.

"Don't you _ever_ call Buffy a whore. You hear me little girl?" Spike snarled at her. She flinched at the grip he had on her and his tone and nodded. Pogue and Tyler watched in awe. They knew Spike would have a beasty side to him, what guy didn't? Even Tyler had one when he wanted it, but they didn't expect it to be this loud of a monster.

"Dude, chill" Tyler said. He was always the voice of reason, but not to Spike. Just hearing his voice sent images of him and Ariella into his head. Not what he needed to be picturing at the moment. He took a breath and let Sarah go. She held her wrist and glared at them.

"You can tell Caleb that it's over. I'm done. He can have Buffy." Sarah said in a huff before she took off out of Nicky's. Tyler and Pogue slapped five, both happy to know Sarah was out and Buffy was in, or would be soon. Spike just watched as a guy tried to dance with an unknowing Ariella, but Reid shoved him away and pulled her closer to him.

At least Reid acted like a protective brother when he needed to. He was glad someone would be there to protect her when the others didn't. He didn't want Tyler around Ariella more than he had to. Caleb was too wrapped up with Buffy, and Pogue wasn't living in the dorms like Reid was. Obviously _he_ couldn't since he screwed up in the worst way. At the end of his thoughts her eyes opened and they locked with his own. For a split second he could see all of her emotions pour out to him, but as quick as they were released, they were locked back up with a blank look in her eyes before she turned to look somewhere else.


	9. She Likes Bunny's Okay?

_**Disclaimer-**__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot of the story. _

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_Enojy!,_

_Bella_

* * *

Buffy's black heels clicked down the halls of Spencer. Her blonde hair swayed back and forth in her pony tail as she walked. Her hands laid in her pockets of her jean jacket. Her scarf was wrapped around her neck, swinging from side to side. She had ended up staying with Ariella, they had a alot to talk about last night. Ariella confessed to her that she was avoiding her because she didn't want to come in between her and Spike's friendship.

_'Buffy sat on the end of Ariella's bed, while Ariella herself sat on the pillowed end of the bed. Both were criss-crossed on the bed and facing the other. Ariella looked very nervous and uncomfortable. Buffy placed her hand on Ariella's knee and gave her a weak smile._

_"I really don't know what happened. One day, he's walking me to my classes and saving me from Aaron, and the the next? The next he's pinning me down on my bed. It was so, well, scary, you know? He had this crazed look in his eyes when he came in. He grabbed me and forced me off my bed." Ariella paused and took a shaky breath. She hadn't told anyone this before. Buffy didn't know whether to be hurting for this girl, or leaving to make some ashes out of Spike._

_"You don't have to tell me, Ella. I know you wouldn't just ignore someone if you didn't have a good reason too." Buffy said as she locked eyes with her friend. Ariella nodded, but knew she had to say it now or she wasn't going to ever again._

_"I have to Buffy. I want to. You know, he told me not to talk when he pulled me off the bed, but since when do I listen? He pushed me on the bed and climbed on me. He pushed my hair away from my neck. He was gentle. I know it's weird to say that, but he was. I don't know what happened, he just looked me in the eyes and jumped off. Then he just left after that." Ariella finished explaining to Buffy. She nodded and smiled weakly. She was honored to know Ariella had told her this first._

_"Do you mind if I stay the night, Ella? I don't think Sarah'll be too keen to see me just yet?" Buffy asked. Ariella nodded her head sure, that it was fine. Buffy smiled and nodded "Thanks. I'll be back later. I have to take care of something real quick." Buffy explained the best she could to Ariella. Ariella nodded and Buffy got up and left the room.'_

Buffy smiled to herself as she remembered what she did after she left that room. It was something that was very long over do. Her smiled faded when she rounded the corner into her hall to her dorm. Everything, well almost everything, she owned was dumped in the hall. Her jaw dropped in shock. She heard familiar voices and looked up to her dorm room door to see Ariella and Sarah arguing. She watched as Sarah met her eyes and slammed the door in Ariella's face.

"Looks like I need a new place." Buffy blurted out. Ariella jumped and spun around, her defenses up on high alert now. Buffy felt bad for spooking her. Buffy raised her hands in peace. Buffy knew why Ariella was so jumpy. Ariella took a breath and relaxed seeing that it was only Buffy. She wished she wasn't so jumpy lately and freaking over the littlest of things, but she couldn't help it.

"I'm already having Reid, Tyler, and Pogue moving all of this stuff to my room. I hope you don't mind." Ariella says as she picks up a suit case of Buffy's. Buffy shook her head, still a bit dazed by the fact Ariella trusts her enough to let her move in, and joins her side. Buffy picked up another suit case and follows Ariella down the hall.

******

Buffy was unpacking the last of her things, or well, what she wished was the last of her things. She still had to unpack, yet again, all of her family and friend pictures. She got lucky though. Spike must have left and got back to the school before Sarah decided to do this. Her slayer gear was in his dorm. He had called her just to say that. She's hasn't a clue as to why he decided to do that though.

"Should I even ask?" Buffy spun around and smiled when she saw Caleb. She didn't even once blame this on him. Sarah was bound to be dumped by Caleb, even if it was her who dumped him. She was just too clingy for Caleb in Buffy's opinion. Caleb stepped inside the room and over to her.

"Sarah kicked me out." Buffy said with a shrug. Living with Ariella was better than with Sarah though. Caleb just nodded to her. He opened the last box and took out a picture. It was of Spike, Dawn, and her on Dawn's birthday. Dawn had invited Spike and Willow had insisted on a picture of a moment, in her opinion, 'that won't ever happen again in a life time'. Caleb chuckled seeing Dawn on Spike's back, her smile beaming from side to side of her face. Buffy was under Spike's arm, that wasn't holding Dawn. All three were laughing in the picture.

"Spike and you actually got along?" He chuckled as he placed another picture down on her dresser for her as he looked at the one in his hands. She smiled weakly and shook her head no. As if. Her and Spike never fought in front of Dawn, okay, so maybe they fought a little, but not a lot. Buffy sat on her bed as she took out another photo.

"Are you kidding? No way. It was my sister, Dawn's, birthday. She looks up to Spike, only god knows why, but she does. So he was invited of course." Buffy explained with a giggle. Caleb chuckled with her as he placed it on the dresser for her. They share a look before going back to unpacking her pictures.

******

He hated their laughter. He hated their little group. He hated everything they stood for. They stood for honor. He had an advantage though. The blond's in their life. The two of them are the key. He could work around the fact that one happened to be more than she let on. She was powerful. She was going to be perfect. He licked his lips, just thinking of the tortures he was going to put her through. The other blond won't last as long though. She was beautiful and young. Then again, young might not be such a bad thing? Maybe he'll just decide on that matter later. He was glad the third blond was out of the picture though. She would have been a quick kill, and where's the fun in that?

He looked to his left. They were sitting ducks. All of them. He watched as one blond sat, laughing at the two youngest boys of their group. In the shadows hid the other new boy, watching with a jealous rage in his eyes. He reeked of power flooding through him too. To his right was what wanted to make him sick. The older blond, the one with the power, was laughing as she and the eldest of the group walked to his car. He opened the girl's door and let her in before he jogged to his side and they took off once they were all set. He scoffed and looked back to the other set of the group. He could use that jealous rage to his own advantage. He smirked and faded back into the shadows.

******

Buffy walked out of Ariella's, and now her's too, bathroom. She let out a yawn as she crossed the wooden floor in her new white socks. She threw herself down in her bed, her head hitting the pillow with a soft gentle thud. "I've never been so tired." She says as she lets her eyes close shut. Ariella giggles as she finishes her nails. She blows on her, now, pink nails, and eyes her new room mate in the corner of her eye. Buffy was, now, trying to reach for something on her nightstand, with her eyes still closed of course.

"What _are_ you doing Buffy?" Ariella giggled as she asked her friend this. Buffy just continued to feel around her nightstand. Buffy scowled as she realized that what she was looking for wasn't there. She groaned in her half a sleep state, knowing exactly where said object was.

"Crap, I left my am . . . neck lace at Sarah's." Buffy said with a yawn. Ariella looked up from her nails to look over at Buffy. "My, uh, best friend back home gave it to me. Sarah must have over looked it and left it in the room. I might as well go back and get it now, but I'm just too tired." Buffy said as she tired to lay up, but she was really tired. Ariella jumped up from her bed.

"I'll get it!" Ariella said excitedly. She saw Buffy about to say something about her not having to. "Oh please, don't even start. I'll be right back." Ariella said as she, carefully, walked out the door, after having slipped her bunny slippers on her feet. She fixed her bunny covered short shorts and her long sleeved pajama shirt with a bunny on the front. She liked bunny's okay? Deal with it. He was excited. It's seemed like months since he's seen her blond hair. Things haven't been the same without her. He spots a blond coming out of the room he was told to go to. He watches as she closes the door behind her softly.

"Buffy." He breathed out in a smile. His smile spread as he quickened his pace to the blond. Ariella let out a small scream when she was picked up from the ground. She was swung around in the air. She froze in whom ever this pair of arms belonged to. She was still pretty shaken since Spike's attack. She hardly let anyone outside of the group come near her, let alone touch her. The man put her down and she spun around, ready to hit this guy if she had to. "Oh, uh, you're not Buffy." The man said nervously as he rubbed his neck and looked anywhere, but down at Ariella. Ariella relaxed, but only a little. This boy knew Buffy, but look where that fact got her the last time. Spike was Buffy's old time friend too, but Ariella couldn't help but feel shy around strangers, especially when they looked like this guy. He wasn't the cutest guy around, but he looked too cute in the innocent funny guy way.

"Obviously not." She said as she looked down. She could feel the redness in her cheeks rise. The man smiled down at the shy girl. She was cute. He did a quick once over of her and wanted to drool. She was not just cute. She was smoking hot. His nervousness just shot up. He could already feel his palms sweating.

"Sorry 'bout that. Thought you were the blond girl that left good Ol'Sunnydale of Sunny California." The man said to her. She smiled shyly and nodded she understood. "I'm Xander Harass." He said as he held out his hand. She smiled up at him and shook his hand nicely.

"Ariella Garwin." She said shyly. Xander's smile faded. He had been in the room when Willow briefed Buffy on her case. This was the girl who's brother Buffy and Spike were here to kill. He instantly felt bad for her. Would Buffy have to kill her too? Would Spike suck her dry when this was all over? He was so focused on his thoughts that he forgot to let her hand go "Uh, Xander?" She spoke up shyly.

"Oh, uh, sorry. Again." He said as he let go of her hand. She nodded and held herself in her arms and looked at the floor. Xander wiped his sweaty hands on his jeans before putting them in his pockets. Ariella glanced up at Xander from the corner of her eye. He was looking around nervously. She giggled seeing this. Xander was brought out from his thoughts from hearing her giggle. He looked at her questionably.

"You're nervous. You're here to see Buffy right? She's sleeping, or just about to crash I think, but maybe you could come back in the morning?" Ariella suggested to him. He nodded his agreement and gave her a weak wave before turning around. He heard the girl sigh and her slippers scraping against the floor. Where was she going? Xander turned back around and saw her going off in the other direction slowly, as if she really didn't want to be going.

"Ari!" He said out to her. She spun around, a little more excited that he had stopped her than she should have been. She really didn't want to go to Sarah's room though. It hadn't exactly gone over that good the last time she saw her "Where are you off to this late?" He asked her as he walked closer to her. She smiled and tilted her head to the right.

"Why? The need to be my protector kicking in already?" She laughed to him. He stopped and nervously rubbed his neck again as he tried to find something to say to that. She giggled and saved him from doing that. "Don't answer that. I'm just kidding. I'm off to the dragon's den, if you must know. My brother's friend found better and she knew that. Long story short? She didn't take the break up that well and kicked Buffy out. Buffy's necklace is still over there, so I offered to go get it." She explained to him. He smiled nervously and nodded. He held out his arm for her.

"Can a fellow walk a pretty girl there?" He said, making her laugh out. "Protector needs are kicking in." He said as his reason to her. She laughed and smiled at up at him. She nodded and linked her arm with his.

"Sure, but only as long as you walk me back too." She giggled to him. He looked horrified she'd say such a thing. His expression just made her want to laugh more. They walked down the hall, not having a care in the world. People probably thought they were drunk.

"Why I'm hurt, Ari. How could you think I would leave such a beautiful girl to walk back to her room alone this late at night?" Xander said in a serious voice to her, but she knew he was only kidding. She could tell he was a little serious, but he was still joking around.

"I'm sorry my good sir." She laughed as they approached Sarah's dorm. Ariella hesitated and bit her lip. "Here comes the worst part." Ariella muttered over to Xander as she jesters to the door. She was just about ready to knock on the door when Xander grabbed her wrist, stopping her closed fist from meeting the door. She looks at him in confusion and fear. He places a finger over his mouth, the motion for her to stay silent. It was when he pointed to the door Ariella realized it was already open.

She wanted to ask him why he stopped her. She didn't see the big deal. So Sarah left her door open? It was stupid sure, but it was Sarah they were talking about. She wanted to ask him that, but she was too focused on his hand on her wrist. She kept looking back and forth from his hand to his eyes with fear in her own eyes.

_'"Spike?" She asked as he came inside her room, shutting the door behind him "What are you . . ." She was cut off by him pulling her, rather roughly, off her bed and to her feet. "Oww!" She cried as she felt his grip tighten on her. He grabbed on to her arms with a tight grip and held her where she stood._

_"Don't talk." He demanded. He was scaring Ariella. She struggled, trying to get out of his grip, but he wasn't budging. She had tear running down her cheeks.'_

"Are you alright?" Xander asked, returning her from her thoughts. Ariella blinks a few times and looks up from his hand on her wrist and meets his look of worry. She pushes back her fears and gives him a weak smile. He knew it was fake though. She was scared of something he did. She just kept repeating 'he is not Spike' in her head over and over again. Ariella broke the stare to look at the door quickly. She looked back at Xander and gave him a questioning look and motioning him to move back. The pair did so and Xander let go of her wrist "I don't know about you, but I'm not going in that room." He whispered over to her.

"What? Why not? I just need to get something. It's not like something is going to happen." Ariella said as she took a step forward, ready to prove her point, when, once again, Xander stopped her by putting his hand on her shoulder. She knew he did this motion only because he realized that grabbing her wrist wouldn't be the best thing to do.

"Would you believe me if I told you that something is . . . already happening?" He said to her. She shot him another confused look and gave the door a quick glance. How would he know if or if not something was happening in the room? The room was dark and you could hardly see through the crack in the door.

"I can't just go back to the room with nothing though. Buffy'll ask what took me so long. She'll worry." Ariella reasoned with him. Xander nodded he understood. A worried Buffy was never good. He quickly thought of a plan that would work. It clicked in his head after a minute.

"And we'll get that necklace back, little Missy. We just need to be quiet and quick. I'll keep watch and you sneak in and get it. Just don't look in the bathroom." He whispered to her. Ariella looked at him with a 'why do I have to go' look. "I'm too clumsy, and a better watch dog is my guess." He reasoned. Ariella stuck her tongue out at him, but nodded her agreement. Ariella pushed the door open a bit more so she could slip in. Xander looked around the hall then in the room. He watched as Ariella made her way over to where the bed set was. She grabbed something out of the draw and closed it slowly. Xander smiled and gave her a thumbs up. She smiled and quickly made her way back over to the door. She glance back and saw in the open bathroom door. She froze. Inside was something she _never _wanted to ever see. Aaron Abbott and Sarah Wenham having sex.

"Oh my god." Ariella breathed out. Hopefully they didn't hear her. They didn't. Xander followed her gaze and saw that she had looked, even though he told her not to. He opened the door a crack wider so he could slip in himself. He grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the room in a sprint. The two ran back to her and Buffy's room. Ariella kept stumbling down the hall though. So eventually Xander just ended up piggy backing her back to her room.

"Here . . . here we are." He said out of breath as he set her back down on the ground. She smiled as she fixed her clothes. He was bent over, his hands on his knees, as he caught his breath. She wasn't trying to laugh, that would be mean. He just saved her from being caught. He carried her almost all the way back here too.

"Thanks Xander." She said as he was standing up right again. He gave her a thumbs up again and a weak smile. She giggled and walked closer to him. She got on her tippy toes and kissed him on the cheek. "Good night Xander. I'll see you in the morning." She before she left through her door. He was stuck. Her lips just touched his cheek. He held his cheek as he walked down the hall that led to the parking lot, a goofy grin on his face as he did.


	10. Rain Check?

_**Disclaimer-**__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot of the story. _

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_Enojy!,_

_Bella_

* * *

The next morning in class was boring as ever. Buffy and Ariella seated them selves next to Reid and Tyler like always. Ariella sat in between the boys as Buffy sat on Reid's left. Reid had him arm around Ariella's shoulders and she traced circles in his hand. They didn't look romantic in any way, that would just be plain wrong. They looked like siblings. Ariella, despite what everyone else would say, loved this class. Not because of the class itself, but because she was with all her friends.

Buffy was texting Caleb, whom was a few rows down from them next to Pogue, about their plans for that night. They were all planning to go to Nicky's tonight, or rather were. Caleb was telling her that Pogue couldn't make it. Something about his bike in the shop. They had decided they both needed a break from reality that is school though. So they were finalizing their plans to go out to a diner in town that night.

Ariella smiled to herself. This day was going awesome so far. Xander did come back that morning. He and Buffy had their reunion. It was too cute to watch. They truly were best friends. He ended out taking her and Buffy to breakfast, even though they had to give him directions on where to go. Only Xander, herself, and Buffy know of what her and Xander saw the night before. Xander and Buffy caught up and Buffy told Ariella all about Xander's moments of shame, or well, all she could with out giving away that she's the vampire slayer. Buffy found out that Xander came to Ipswich with Angel, whom later Ariella found out was the guy she saw with Buffy at Nicky's.

Class had started, not that any of them even noticed. Buffy nudged Ariella when she spotted two people in the back. Sarah and Aaron. Ariella made a gagging motion to Buffy when she saw what she was trying to show her. Buffy and her giggled to them selves, leaving Reid and Tyler clueless. The dragon worked fast. Buffy knew then that either Sarah was really easy, or that she had been cheating on Caleb the whole time.

Buffy was texting Caleb through out the whole class. Caleb had seen Sarah and told Buffy he was surprisingly not hurt, he always knew that they weren't going to last. Buffy felt a little better reading that, but she still knew deep down that he was hurt. Ariella played tic-tac-toe with her brother through out the whole class. Tyler played winner, which ,of course, was Ariella every time. Pogue was talking to Chase, whom was seated next to him, about bikes. What else? They were all surprised none of them were caught, but the teacher was kind of slow when it came to catching kids that weren't not paying attention.

Buffy would look around the room every few minutes. She knew Spike was in this class too. He had distanced himself from her over the last couple of days though. He didn't act like himself either since the night he attacked Ariella. He was more reckless. The queen of bitches, Kira, was found in the woods dead. She had been attacked by an 'animal'. She had been sucked dry and had two little dot sized holes in her neck. Vampire. Buffy's only guess was that it was Spike. But she really hoped she was wrong.

When the bell rang, they were all relieved. They all were off to the pool. The boys had their swimming practice. Buffy and Ariella always showed up to cheer them on. Spike never showed up. He hated water, only would go near it when he showered. Surprise surprise, Aaron didn't show up. Buffy and Ariella took their seats in the bleachers as Pogue got ready for his race. Shouts of "Go Pogue!" and "You can do it Pogue!" were heard as the whistle was heard. They all cheered their friend on as he raced down the pool and back. Reid and Tyler were leaning against the wall next to Ariella and Buffy cheering on their friend. Caleb was cheering on his friend, no duh, when Chase appeared at his side.

"He really is good." Chase said as he watched Pogue climb out of the pool. Caleb smiled and clapped for him friend. He nodded to what Chase had said to him. Pogue was a good swimmer, and everyone at school knew it.

"The best." He said as Chase went to the other side of him "I hear you swim a mean free style" He stated as he looked over to Chase. Chase shrugged with a smug look on his face.

"That's what they tell me." Chase said to Caleb.

"Lets see what you got." Caleb smirked. Chase smirked and raised an eye brow at him. The look clearly said 'you're on'. Caleb laughed as the boys got ready to race. The jumped into the pool once the word 'go' was heard. Ariella and Buffy were standing up and clapping as they cheered on Caleb. Pogue was clapping as he watched the race chanting 'lets go' as his cheered for Caleb.

"C'mon Caleb!" The girls cheered out. Reid and Tyler were now closer to the pool, cheering on their friend. Reid was actually excited to see who won this race. This one was going to be a close one. Caleb and Chase were neck and neck with each other. Caleb looked at Chase and he looked at Caleb when they took a breath of air. They were close to the wall of the pool, it was almost over. Caleb looked over at Chase. Caleb could froze as he swam forward. Chase's eyes were pitch black. He saw the flame encircle his eyes as he swam. Caleb didn't slow down in time and his head rammed into the pool wall.

"Caleb!" Ariella screamed out. "No!" Buffy screamed out after as they raced over to the pool. Chase dived under and got Caleb. Pogue and Tyler helped him get Caleb out of the pool. Reid caught his sister as she slid to a stop. He didn't want her falling in. Buffy hurried to Caleb's side and took his hand in hers.

"Caleb! Come on Cay! Wake up. Please!" Buffy said as she held his hand. His hand twitched a little and his eyes squeezed tight. "He's waking up!" She cheered over to the boys and Ariella. They all crowded around him, Buffy being the only one on the floor with Caleb. Ariella held onto her brother in fear of her friend being hurt. Caleb's eyes adjusted to the lights and his sight focused on Buffy's smiling face. She was happy he was okay.

"You okay man?" Pogue asked him.

"There you are." Chase smiled, seeing Caleb waking up and focusing. He also noticed how Caleb's eyes never left Buffy's. So did the others, except Buffy of course. "Had us going there for a second." Chase said. Ariella smiled at her friends weakly. She knew it was only a matter of time before something happened between those two.

"You hit your head there pretty good." Pogue told him. Caleb squeezed his eyes shut for a second. His head was killing him. Buffy gave his hand a small squeeze of encouragement.

"Lucky for you, Chase was there to get you out before you sucked up the pool." Tyler smiled down at his friend. Ariella giggled as she nodded, as did the others. Caleb couldn't stop thinking about what he saw in the pool though. It wasn't possible. It just wasn't. He had to be seeing things.

"He also whooped your ass." Reid needed to point out. Ariella elbowed him for saying that. He just had to be a smart ass, didn't he? Reid chuckled and shot her a smirk "What? It's true, Baby girl." He said out. Ariella rolled her eyes at her brother. He could be such a jackass sometimes.

******

Caleb couldn't stop his stare from focusing on Chase. Buffy was sitting on his right, as Pogue was on his left. Reid and Tyler were a few rows up from them. Ariella was in a different class with the other freshman, and Spike just wasn't in class. Chase was a few rows down to his left. He was just flipping through the pages of his book while the teacher talked. A knock on the door broke the silence. What broke Caleb's thoughts was Chase being called down to the Provost's office. Buffy and Pogue looked at Caleb. Tyler was called to read something in the book they were reading in class.

******

"I'll have to rain check Buff. Some family stuff came up. You know how my mother is." Caleb said as he and Pogue jogged closer to the school. He hated lying to Buffy, but he couldn't tell her the truth. It was pouring and the two boys were soaked to the bone. Only Pogue knows of Caleb seeing Chase's eyes flaming black in the pool.

"I get it Cay. I have to check in with home anyways. I haven't talked to them in forever it seems. It might be a cry-fest. Oh, and I need to drop some friends off at the airport in an hour too." Buffy explained on the other end. If she said it didn't hurt her that Caleb had canceled, she'd be lying. She walks at a fast pace to her dorm so she can get out of the rain.

"I'll call you later then?" Caleb said as they reached the fence. Pogue hopped it first and landed with a splash. Buffy was coming up on the dorms. She knew Caleb was with someone, probably one of the boys, outside. She didn't let it phase her though. She wasn't going to cry because Caleb canceled on her. They weren't even together.

"Yeah, sure." She says into her phone. Caleb says his good bye and hung up before Buffy could back. She sighs and runs up the stairs and inside the dorms. Caleb puts his phone away and hops the fence. He could tell Buffy knew he was lying, but he could worry about that now. They make their way to the administrations building quickly. Caleb uses to unlock the door so they could go inside.

******

Ariella was running down the hall, a smile beaming from her lips. She takes a chance and looks back. No one. Phew. Before she even knows what's going on, she's falling back wards. She lets out a yelp, but before she could even touch the ground, she stopped. She opens her eyes to see who had caught her. Chase. Ariella smiles up at him.

"Hey Angel." He says down to her. She giggles as he sets her up right. Before she could say anything, footsteps were heard behind them. She grabs his hand and pulls him into a full out run with her down the hall. "What are we running from?" He whispered to her as he lets her lead him down the hall.

"My brother and his friend. They thought it would be nice to to switch my shampoo with blue dye. Luckily, I found out what they did before I used it. I got them back, and long story short? They weren't too happy to find their clothes all pink." She explains as they take a left. Chase chuckles and nods his head. Ariella looked back at Chase and smiled up at him.

"Ariella!" A voice shouted. Ariella tripped over her own two feet and sent her and Chase to the ground. Chase spun them around so he would hit the ground and not her. Ariella looked up, her bangs in her eyes, to see Buffy looking at them with confusion. Ariella quickly looked her position with Chase over and blushed a deep red. She was straddling him.

"Buffy! It's not what it looks like. Reid and Tyler . . . they . . . and the dye . . . there was running and chasing . . . Oh the almost falling . . . then more running . . . but with Chase . . . Oh I give up!" Ariella babbled on as she tried to explain to her new room mate. All the while, her cheeks just kept getting redder. Chase and Buffy tried to hide their laughter, but it was near impossible. If only she knew they weren't laughing at her. Ariella's screamed as she was lifting off of Chase and held in the air. She was tossed over a shoulder.

"Little sister, little sister, little baby sister." Reid said as he shook his head. Ariella banged on his back with her tiny fist. "Excuse us Lady and gent." Reid said with a small salute to Buffy and Chase as he, Ariella, and Tyler took off. Tyler laughed as he followed behind Reid, whom had Ariella on his shoulder.

"Buffy!" Ariella yelled out, in hopes that her friend would help her. Buffy shook her head and waved to Ariella as she went off in the other direction. Ariella knew then that her one friend in this situation was gone. "Buffy, come back!" Ariella still tried. Chase had laughed before he went to his own room, where ever it was. Reid, knowing no one was around, used to make binds appear on Ariella's ankles, wrists, and mouth. She was going to get it now.

******

"Reid! Reid Garwin, I'm so going to kill you! You better find me, or I swear I'll make you regret it!" Ariella screamed as she looked around. Trees were everywhere and it was nightfall. Stupid Reid and his powers. He used to transport her into the woods. For all she knew he was going to make her stay out here all night. She hated the woods, especially when she was alone, soaked from the rain, and here at night. Reid took it too far this time. It was one, ONE, load of his clothes that were pink. Just one!

'CRACK' Ariella spun around. That was the sound of a tree branch getting stepped on. Maybe they are here and coming to get her "Reid? Tyler?" Nothing. "Guys? Please say something if it's you." She pleaded with, what she hopes is her brother and his friend. Still nothing though. 'CRACK.' It was heard again. Ariella spins around to her left. Something, or someone, was out there. "Reid?" She manages to squeak out. She sees a figure come out of the shadows and she screams seeing it's eyes. They were pitch black. She screamed as she turned around and ran for her life. She didn't care if she got mud on her, or if she kept stumbling. She was going to run, and she was going to run fast. "Somebody help me!" She screamed out, hoping that Reid at least transported her close to the school. "Re--" She tried to scream out, but a sudden pain hit her head and everything went black.

******

Spike was racing down the hall. He heard her every scream, then it just stopped mid-scream. He was worried, no, he was terrified. For once in his un-dead life, Spike, the big bad, was terrified for someone else that wasn't Drusilla. He had to find Buffy, and he had to find her now. He rounded a corner and saw Buffy. He suddenly felt enraged. Buffy was her room mate. Buffy was suppose to protect Ariella. He stalked right up to Buffy and slammed her to the wall by holding onto her shirt collar.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" She hissed as she kicked him off. He didn't move far though. Why was Spike so mad? He had fear in his eyes. It was too strong of an emotion, that he shouldn't have, to hide. Spike was scared. This is _really_ bad. "What's wrong?" She asked more calmly.

"What's wrong? What's bloody wrong Buffy? What's bloody wrong is Ariella's in the woods, screaming bloody murder, then . . . then she just stops! I couldn't find her. It happened too quick." Spike confessed to Buffy. Buffy looked away ashamed. She had just seen Ariella no longer than a half hour ago. How could things go so wrong so quickly?

"I'll find her Spike. I will." Buffy said as she went to go walk away from him, but he pushed her back. "No. I'll find her." He growled before he stalked off. Buffy took out her cell phone and hurried to her car. She dialed a number she never wanted to dial for a reason like this. She jumped in her car right as the person answered.

"It's Buffy. I need your help." She said into her phone as she started her car. She pulled out and closed her phone after she explained what she needed done. She opened it again once she remembered she didn't know where she was going. It rang twice before the person answered.

_"Hello?"_

"It's Buffy. I need to talk to you and the others. Where are you?" She asked firmly. She wasn't going to goof around when her new friend was in trouble. Never would she do that. Ariella was too important.

_"What's wrong Buff?"_

"I'll explain when I get there. I need to know where 'there' is though, Cay." Buffy said into her phone. She heard a sigh before Caleb gave her directions. She thanked him and hung up. She sped down the road in the rain like no one's business. She didn't care though. She need to be at the Colonial house, and she needed to be there now.


	11. I can Take Care Of Myself

_**Disclaimer-**__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot of the story. Sorry for any mistakes grammer or spelling wise. =(_

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ispwich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught inbetween the crossfire._

_Enojy!,_

_Bella_

* * *

Buffy arrived at the house and was met by Caleb at the fence. He and Buffy tried their best to get inside without getting too soaked. He hesitated on whether or not he should let her come down stairs to the basement where the others were. It was strictly covenant members allowed, but Buffy sounded serious, too serious.

"I already know about you and the others, Caleb. I think I have some explaining to do." Buffy said as she placed a hand on Caleb's in a comfort way. He looked at her confused and nodded. He led her down to the others and let her sit down in his seat as he leaned on the wall behind her. Reid was the only one that, verbaly, questioned her being there. Tyler just looked confused, and Pogue looked hurt and confused. Why did Buffy get to know and he couldn't tell Kate?

"Let her explain." Was all Caleb said to them. Buffy nodded, thanking him for giving her a chance to let her make her case to them. She took a deep breath and scanned the room before she spoke. This was going to be harder than she first thought.

"I know you four have powers. I know it can be addictive too once you've reached the age of eight teen. Your families have kept this a secret for hundreds of years, and I respect that. You're not the only with a secret that's been passed down through the years though. I'm a vampire slayer. There's one slayer every generation, this one's being me. Everytime a slayer dies, a new one is born. Only my watcher Giles, my sister, and a few close friends know of my secret. Well, now you four know too, but you get the point. I know Sarah doesn't know about the power, but I'm not sure about Ariella." Buffy explained. Caleb put the puzzle pieces together. Buffy was different, now he knew how. Reid stood up, enraged of her accusing him of not letting his own sister in on their sercret.

"Of course Ariella knows!" Reid yells at Buffy. She flinched at his tone. Caleb tensed where he stood, ready to jump in if Reid went after Buffy with his power. Buffy took a breath and nodded. She knew then that she was a bit out of line. "I wouldn't keep that from her." He said more calmly as he sat back down in his seat.

"Sorry Reid." She said before she realized something. Reid and Tyler were the last to have been with Ariella, that she knew of anyways. "When was the last time you saw Ariella?" She suddenly asked the two boys. Reid and Tyler shared a worried look before looking back at Buffy and Caleb.

"Reid, he . . ." Tyler trailed off, having no idea how to word what happened nicely. Caleb's glare turned to Reid. This is why Buffy sounded so urgent. Not because she wanted to spill her big slayer secret, but because something was wrong with Ariella. Caleb was hurt Buffy lied to them, but he lied to her too. Both had secrets they couldn't tell. He had to find it in himself to understand that.

"Reid, what?" Caleb snarled as he straightend up against the wall. Reid shot a 'thanks alot' look to Tyler. Tyler shot him a sheepless look back, mouthing sorry to his best friend. Reid crossed his arms and looked innocently at Buffy and Caleb, but they knew he wasn't.

"I put her in the woods about a half hour ago." Reid muttered under his breath, but they all heard him. Buffy glared at him and took out her cell. Maybe she was okay and would answer? Buffy knew better to think that though. Caleb was about to full out explode on Reid when Buffy came back a minute later.

"What's going on? Tell me, please Caleb." Buffy said as she rejoined Caleb's side. She took his hand in hers and locked her pleading eyes with his worried ones. Caleb glanced around the group of boys. They all nodded in agreement, except Reid, who just muttered under his breath again.

"You remember when I hit my head today on the pool, right?" Caleb asked her. Buffy scoffed and rolled her eyes. How could she forget? Caleb had scared her half to death. "I saw Chase's eyes right before I hit the wall. They were pitch black. They do that when we use our powers. You know about the fifth family?" Again Buffy nodded "Well, to make long story short? Chase is the fifth line. It didn't die out like everyone thinks." Caleb explained to Buffy. She nodded to him she understood.

"So my guess is, he's using Ariella to get to you all, Caleb and Reid especially. Spike said he heard her screaming in the woods, but he couldn't find her. I'm having my friend, Willow, trying to track down Ariella, but she needs something of hers to actually do the spell." Buffy said as she stood up. Their eyes followed Buffy as she paced around. She was trying her best to stay calm, as were they.

"I'm going to get my sister back, and kill that son of bitch." Reid growled out suddenly as he jumped to his feet and hurried up the steps. They all wanted to go after him, but they needed a plan first. They knew Reid was going to do something stupid. Caleb got ready to go after Reid himself, but Buffy stopped him.

"You can't go after him, Caleb. Chase is only using Ariella to get to Reid, and you know he's only using Reid to get to you!" Buffy shouted, seeing Caleb getting ready to go out after Reid. She knew they had to go after Reid, but not Caleb. She didn't know what she would do if he got hurt, or worse.

"I know." He said sadly and looked to the ground "Pogue, Ty, go make sure he didn't go and kill himself doing something stupid." Caleb said as he slowly looked up and met Buffy's worried eyes. Pogue and Tyler nodded and took off. Buffy watched as Caleb waited until Tyler and Pogue were gone to throw one of the candles that were blown out and smash it against the wall. She figured he wanted her to leave and let him be. She went to walk past him, but he grabbed her wrist. She gasped and and looked innocently up at him. "Don't leave." he said in a low firm voice. She nodded and didn't dare move any closer to the stairs.

"I won't." She says as she lets him pulled her in between his legs after he sits back down. She runs her fingers through his black hair in a loving motion. He holds her in place by placing his hands on her lower back. He lets his head rest on her stomach and trying to catch his thoughts.

******

Tyler sped down the road, he was going the fastest he's ever had in his life. He and Pogue were lucky the rain had let up. It had seemed like forever ago since Reid took off. When in reality? It was only a mere half hour ago. Pogue was trying to call Reid, and really hoped he answered. When they got outside, they discovered that Reid had taken Pogue's Duchie. Pogue was putting his rage for that behind him, for the moment. Reid didn't have his own car or bike for a reason. Pogue wanted to break his phone so badly. Reid wasn't answering and Ariella was still missing. They knew that Chase had her, that he had to have taken her in the woods. Buffy was some badass vampire slayer, and Spike? Who knows what the hell he is. For all they know he could be a damn vampire. He had white hair for heaven sakes! Buffy would have mentioned that though, wouldn't she?

"Look!" Tyler yelled out, breaking Pogue from his thoughts. There, in the middle of the road, was a a hint of blonde hair, blonde hair they all knew too well. Pogue didn't even wait for Tyler to stop before he jumped out and raced to the limp body in the middle of the road. Tyler wasn't far behind. Pogue slid down to Reid's side and lifted his upper body into his arms. Blood was dried up down his face and on his lip to his chin. Tyler, seeing Pogue's frozen frame, checked to make sure Reid was alright. He had a pulse, but it was weak.

"Thank god." Tyler breathed out in relief. His best friend was alive. Nobody could even guess how relieved he was. He didn't know where he would be without Reid. It would have been lost with out him. He didn't care how corny and stupid that sounded, it was the damn truth. Reid had told him, in privet of course, to listen to, Caleb of all people, and listen to his warnings about the power. Reid, much to everyone's surprise, does listen and is responcible when he needs to be.

"Ty, you got to call 911. I . . . I can't." Pogue said as he held their 'brother' in his arms. Tyler nodded as he got up and took out his phone. Reid was in bad shape, and who the hell knows where and how Ariella is. She could be gone forever for all they knew. Tyler shook his head, forgetting those thoughts. He had to stay possitive. He wouldn't think thoughts like that.

******

Caleb and Buffy were on their way back to her and Ariella's room. Buffy needed to get her things from Spike's room, but she needed some things from her room too. She and Ariella had gone dress shopping yesterday after school. That was their cover tonight. They were going to the dance together, her and Caleb. Buffy watched Caleb for a good minute as they were walking. He was tired and worn out. They had just got a call from Pogue on the way here. They found Reid, and he was in the hospital. She and Caleb both knew it was Chase's doing. This needed to end tonight.

Buffy knew that there was a good chance she wouldn't make it out of this, Caleb either. Chase was strong. They knew that for a fact. Caleb had explained the holes Buffy didn't know about how everythings works with the power. He mostly explained the 'willing someone their power' thing to her. That's what Chase wanted is their guess, for Caleb to will his powers to him. Fat chance. That would happen only when Buffy was dead and gone.

Buffy unlocked her door and went to wrap her fragile fingers around the knob, but Caleb stopped her. She shot him a confused look. By the look in his eyes, she knew he could feel Chase inside, or maybe just close by? Buffy nodded she understood and took a step back and let Caleb take his place in front of her. She didn't like not being in the immediate danger and letting someone else be, but Caleb knew more about this than her. She had to trust him. Could she trust him though?

How many times has she trusted a a man before and got herself hurt? Angel? Her father? Need she say more? She trusted them, but they only hurt her in the end. Caleb? No. No, Caleb was different. She just could feel it in her gut. Caleb was strong. He wasn't a vampire, he had a _soul_. He wasn't Angel, she had to keep reminding herself of that. He wasn't him. Why is she even thinking this? He just got dumped by Sarah! He's on the rebound, yet another reason she shouldn't trust him.

She watched as Caleb opened the door slowly. Both froze upon seeing what was inside. There, on the bed was a unconitous Ariella, and a wide awake Chase, whom was caressing her cheek. It was then that Buffy noticed Ariella was in different clothes. She had had her pjs on before, now she was in a pure white sun dress. Buffy could swear she hear Caleb growl. He noticed it too. Buffy jumped forward, but was held back by Caleb.

"Ariella!" Buffy shouted to try and see if she could hear her and wake up as she was trying to get past Caleb. She wasn't going to hurt him, not unless she had to. Chase chuckled and looked at Buffy and Caleb. He made a motion for them to be quiet. This time Caleb made his growl autoble to Chase and Buffy. He was this close to letting Buffy take a whack at Chase, but he knew Chase could do some serious damage to her. He knew Buffy could handle her own, but he wasn't going to risk it.

"Don't want to wake the pretty dolly, do we now?" Chase whispered to them as he stood up. "But, do come in." He said a bit louder. His eyes were pitch black now. Neither at the door moved. "I said, come in." He said firmly to them. He raised his hand and motioned them to come in. Only they were pull in by a force. Caleb was so close to actually using right now, but was too nervous Chase would put Buffy or Ariella in harms way if he did.

"Chase--" Caleb warned him. Chase chuckled and rolled his pitch black eyes at Caleb. Like he could do a damn thing. Chase looked at Buffy and Caleb and smirked. He 'used' to make Buffy move to his side. She was defenceless against him. He knew all her sercets. He did actually think she was pretty hot, and what better to have his son's mother be the girl he steals away from one of the mighty sons of Ispwich? What about the daughter of Ispwich? She's be even better. Oh the decitions!

"Now now Caleb, brother, you're in no position to be hostile. We don't want poor Ariella, or maybe pretty little Buffy, to get hurt, now do we?" Chase smirked as he said this to caleb. He caressed Buffy's cheek, making her cringe. Caleb flinched, but couldn't move. His eyes glanced at Ariella then to Buffy. They needed him. He had to do something. His eyes flame black, like Chase's did in a moments notice. "Looks like Big bad Caleb wants to play hero. To bad." Chase said as he raised his arm. Buffy gasps at what happens before her. Caleb was raised and slammed into the ceiling above. Buffy watched in horror was Chase moved Caleb around, slamming him into a different wall of the room, without even laying a finger on him. She screams out upon seeing him hit the mirror. Hard. She wished, so badly, she could do something, but she can't. Before she knew it, she was held against the wall by a force.

"Buff . . . Buffy." She heard Caleb groan as he tried to get up. Buffy looked around franticly for something she could use. She needed to help him, and she needed to help him now. She struggled to move. If she could just get free. She could help Caleb, or better yet? Get Ariella out of here and come back for Caleb after.

"Don't you see my problem?" Chase says with a grin as he made him way over to Caleb. Buffy struggled her hardest, but nothing was working. Chase was too busy talking to Caleb. Maybe he'll let his guard down and she can get out? "Don't think so blondie." She heard him shout back to her. The little bastard read her mind! Where the hell is Spike? Why is he only around when she doesn't need him? Yet, when she does need him, he's never around? Buffy returns from her thoughts to see Chase going to the door and Caleb barely able to get to his feet.

"You . . . you can't leave them like . . . like that." Caleb gasped out. Chase smirked as he stopped at the, now, open door. He side turned to look at Buffy and Ariella. His eyes flickered out to Caleb quickly.

"Almost forgot." He winked at Buffy with a smirk that made her want to hurl as she was dropped to the floor. She shared a quick look with a gasping Caleb before she jumped to get Ariella, but she was too late. In a snap of Chase's fingers, Ariella vanished to smokey air and left through the vents. "Thanks bro." He chuckled before shutting the door behind him. Buffy and Caleb, both gasping for air, eyes locked. They lost Ariella. Again. Buffy slowly got to her feet, or at least tried her best to, and made her way to Caleb. He was trying his best to take deep breaths. He was the oldest. He was a man. He was not going to cry, especially in front of Buffy.

"Caleb." She gasped out to him. Her knees gave out as she meet him in the bathroom. She sees the traiter tears trying to sneak out of his eyes. His eyes met hers and her heart broke. Caleb looked so broken. He was Caleb though. He was strong and couldn't be broken in Buffy's eyes. But he could, and he was. Caleb, even with or with out powers, was still human. He had emotions. He wasn't like Angel. Angel hid away his emotions. Caleb didn't, he wasn't afriad to let them out like Angel was.

"She was right here. Right here! She was so close that I . . I could just feel her touch. She's gone though. He took her. He . . . he took her again! Buffy, he took her! I couldn't protect her, Buffy. I couldn't protect you either! I couldn't. I let you and her get hurt. I let him touch you like he did, Buffy. How can you even look at me?" Caleb said, partly through his clentch teeth. Buffy just held him in her arms and rocked him back and forth. He was human. He needed someone right now. That someone was her. He needed her to be strong for him.

"When are you going to realize I can take care of myself?" She manages to, in attempt to laugh, sobbed out. She wiped away his one tear and gave him a small smile. "I can look at you because I know, somewhere in that head of your's, you know and respect that, Caleb. You didn't let anyone down. We know what Chase wants, and we know how to track him now." She said with a small chuckle. He looked at her in a confused way. "Lets just get to the hospital, huh?" She suggested and tried her best to help him up. She supported some of his weight as they limped out of the dorms and to his car. She helped him in the passengers side and hurried to the drivers and soon they were off.


	12. Superman & Supergirl To The Rescue

_**Disclaimer- **__I don't own anything but Ariella and the plot_

_**Summary**_- _Temptation; Try and get a little bit. There's really nothing wrong with it~ When Buffy and Spike come to Ipswich, for their next mission, they didn't expect to make friends with their targets. Soon, all hell breaks loose. To make things worse Reid's little sister, Ariella, is caught in between the crossfire._

* * *

Buffy helped Caleb limp down the hallway to get to Reid's room. He refused to be looked at, knowing he could just fix himself once he was relaxed, as much as he could be anyways, and sat down. Buffy eyes widend in joy upon seeing who was at the end of the hall. She was still a bit out of breath, most likely from her stress over Caleb and this whole thing. "Po . . Pogue! Ty . . . Tyler!" She managed to shout out. Their heads shot up and small smiles graced their faces. They frowned upon seeing how they were coming towards them though. Worry instantly overcame them and they raced down the hall to Caleb and Buffy. Pogue and Tyler took Caleb and dragged him to a bench. Buffy, her breath lost finally catching up with her, collasped to the floor to the knees.

"Buffy!" Tyler gasped when he heard the thud of her body hitting the floor. He slowly helped Pogue put Caleb on the bench then jumped to a start and went back for Buffy. "Buffy." He breath out, seeing her with a shocked expression staring at the floor. He picked her up in one swift movement and carried her over to Caleb and Pogue and waited until Caleb healed himself and was okay to put her on the bench.

"I . . . I just need a second to breath." She said as she took slow, deep, breathes. Once her breathing returned to normal, she smiled and looked at the three boys. "See? All better. Thanks Ty, I'm . . ." She trailed off as she tried to get up, but her knees gave out. Luckily Pogue, having been the closest, caught her. The boys chuckle, seeing her blush as he sets her back down on the bench.

"Not completely better yet." Pogue finished her sentence for her. She stuck her tongue out at him and crossed her arms. She didn't like being babied like this one bit. So she was bit shakey? No big deal. She rolled her eyes, as did Tyler with a small chuckle. Buffy felt, a little bit better, now. She made them all smile and chuckle. She sees that as a acomplishment in her books.

"I should fill in Reid. I have too." Caleb said, returning to seriousness. They all nodded and watched as he went inside the room. Buffy saw something in the corner of her eye and her jaw tightend. She told the boys she was thirsty and needed some air before she walked off after the figure in the shadows. She, silently, let a breath out that she didn't fall flat on her face.

******

Caleb walked in the room slowly. He noticed Reid sitting up and wide awake. True, he looked like shit, but he was sitting up. He's reading a play boy with a smirk on his face. Typical Reid right there, Caleb thought as he rolled his eyes. Reid looked up from his magizine and his smirk faded slowly upon seeing Caleb. Ariella-less. He sat up, the best he could, in his bed.

"Where's Ariella?" He said as his eyes searched out the window for his sister, but only found Pogue and Tyler. Maybe she was sitting down? Maybe she was waiting at his door to jump out and shout 'Gotcha Reid! I'm alright big brother' to him, but he knew that had very slim chances of happening.

"Reid, I couldn't . . ." Reid just looked away from Caleb. Caleb took that as the hint to shut it. Reid didn't want to hear that Caleb didn't get his sister back. He wanted to hear her say that she was safe and sound. She shouldn't even be involved in this. This was his and the boys problem, not hers.

******

Buffy and Spike stood in the shadows of the hospital awkwardly. They had been standing like this forever now it seemed. They didn't know what to say to the other. Neither had saved Ariella, like they had promised the other earlier. Both let her slip from their grasp. "So, do you remember that time that . . ." Buffy spoke up, but just ended up trailing off. Spike nodded and looked up at her. Buffy was never good with this thing. He knew her fear of hospitals. He didn't know details, he just knew the facts.

"Yeah, I remember Buffy."

"Good." Buffy says as she shifts feet "That's good that you remember." She says in a lower mutter this time. He nods his agreement with her before taking off down the hall. She lets out a breath and turns as she starts walking back to Tyler and Pogue.

******

"You better be anything, but a goody-two-shoes, when you find her, Caleb." Reid says, watching as Buffy appears next to Tyler and joins in the two's conversation outside. Caleb looks at Reid in confusion. What the hell was that suppose to mean?

"What?"

"I mean, Caleb. If I find her saying something about that douche-bag. I better know where to find you." Reid said as he cracked his knuckles as to get his point across to Caleb. He didn't care if he was barely living by a thread right now. He was going to make his point across to Caleb.

"Reid . . ." Caleb started.

"Just save the day already superman." Reid said with bitterness in his voice. Caleb knew Reid wanted to save his sister. Reid glanced at the door to see Buffy waiting "Looks like Superman's not going alone, eh Supergirl?" Reid chuckled with a cough to Buffy. Buffy smiled softly, seeing that even in his worst hour, Reid's still the ass he always was. Some people never change. Caleb looked back and gave Buffy a small nod. Reid shot a wink at Buffy as Caleb got up and went over to her.

"We'll get her back Reid." Caleb said determondly to Reid. Buffy nodded her agreement. She would die, again, before Ariella ever would. Caleb would say the same thing. Reid saluted them weakly before the two left, closing the door behind them. Reid sighed and closed his eyes. He just, as corny as it sounded, wanted to see his sister's smile and hear her laugh again.

******

"I say we all go find the fucker now and get Ariella back." Tyler said as he got up. He hated this. He didn't want Buffy to get herself, purposely, in the line of fire. He hated seeing his best friend in the hospital, barely living to add to that fact. He hated knowing that the one girl he concidered his little sister was out there with some psychopath.

"Wow, you really do hang out with Reid too much Ty." Buffy said, in shock of hearing Tyler say a 'bad word'. Tyler, in her opinion, was the all around good boy. Like Xander. Sure he goofed off sometimes, but what boy doesn't? Caleb shot Buffy a look.

"Buffy, not the time." Caleb scolded her. She sent him a weak smile as her apoligy. Pogue rolled his eyes, as did Tyler. Not the time to flirt with Buffy either Caleb, was what both boys wanted to say, but they knew it wasn't the time, nor place to actually say it outloud.

"Look, you two are staying here. Reid's defenceless here and Chase could use that against us. Buffy and I are going back to my place to get ready. We'll call when we find Ariella." Caleb explained to the boys. Buffy already knew the plan. They nodded they understood. "We have to go. Only a hour or two left." Caleb said as he and Pogue gave each other a 'guy hug'. Tyler pulled Buffy into his arms before she and Caleb switched. Once all the hugs were over and done with, Caleb and Buffy were off.

******

"Thanks Will . . . I miss you too. Tell Dawn and the others I love them . . . Bye." Buffy said into her phone. Caleb glanced at her with a weak smile. Buffy was this girl surrounded in armour. Only, in Caleb's eyes, her armour was cracking. He could tell everything was catching up to her. He felt like he needed to be her savior for once, not her being everyone else's. "What is it?" Buffy blushed, seeing Caleb looking at her as he drove. He snapped out of his thoughts and looked back at the road again. Buffy could swear she saw Caleb's cheeks tint red.

"Nothing. So where are we headed?" They both knew they weren't actually going to the school at all, but Pogue and Tyler didn't need to worry about that. Caleb was, eventually, filled in on Buffy's plans to track Chase. Buffy quickly found her map of the town and a pen. She took off the cap with her teeth and circled something on the map.

"Here. It's some barn from back in the colonial days." Buffy said as she took the cap out from between her lips. Caleb rolled his eyes upon seeing where Buffy was talking about. He should have known Chase would pick a place that held their history.

"Putham barn. I know where that is." Caleb said as he sped up down the road. It was still pouring out, now it was thundering and lightening though. Buffy rolled her eyes. Of course Caleb knew where they were going. He did live here his whole life, did he not? They were almost there, the barn was in seeing distance, when Chase appeared on the hood of the car. Caleb came to a quick stop, knocking the wind out of Buffy's lungs. Caleb looked at Buffy with concern, before turning to glare at Chase, whom was beaming at them.

"Nice to see you both again." He chuckled to them. "Run, run, as fast as you can, you can't catch me. I'm the gingerbread man." He said before he vanished. Caleb saw it before Buffy even realized what was going on. He pulled her to him and covered her as his eyes flamed black. The glass bursts inside the car. It would have killed them both if it wasn't for Caleb. Buffy let out a scream, not having expected the sudden shattered glass. When the glass settled, he let Buffy go, slowly of course. They exited the doors of the car and looked around through the wind and rain.

"Buffy!" Caleb said as she jogged around the car to stand by him. "Caleb, the barn!" She shouted to him as she pointed in the direction where the barn could be seen. He nods and takes her hand before leading her off in a full out run toward the barn. This needed to end, and it needed to end now.


	13. Why Am I Wearing A Dress?

Thanks for the reviews everyone! I don't own anything but Ariella!

Enjoy!

* * *

Caleb and Buffy walked inside the barn cautiously. Both were soaked from the rain, but neither really cared. Caleb looked for Chase while Buffy looked for any sign of Ariella. They walked in farther, keeping their eyes and ears open. Everything seemed calm, only sound heard was their breathing and the sound of the rain hitting the roof of the barn. Pitter. Patter. Pitter. Patter.

"You know . . ."

They whipped their heads around to see Chase on the platform above them. Both were in fighting stances now. "I'm just getting this feeling that you're not going to keep up your end of the bargain. So I took out a little insurance policy." Chase raised his hand, his eyes pitch black. Caleb and Buffy turned around to see lanterns light up. What made them gasp was Ariella, floating in between the lanterns. "She does looks quite stunning." Chase said before he disappeared. Buffy was about to take off to get Ariella. "Either of you touch her, and she dies." Chase says from above Ariella now. Buffy stops where she stands, as does Caleb as he raises up his hands to show he wasn't going to try anything. "In fact, time's running out for Ariella. So why don't we get down to business?" Chase said to them. Buffy saw Caleb tense next to her.

"Caleb?" Buffy whispered over to Caleb. He didn't risk it by looking down at her. She would have gave him an indication to look at her or spoke up louder than she had. She was up to something. Hopefully it didn't get her killed in the process.

"Yeah?"

"Duck!" Buffy shouted as she watched Chase's movements. Caleb jumped out of the way before he was hit by an energy ball. Buffy had dived the other way to get out of the line of fire. Caleb's eyes flamed black as he stood up. Buffy rubbed her head as she got to her feet. Her and Caleb's eyes met briefly before Caleb was hit by an energy ball. Chase just didn't waste time, did he?

"Oh, no you don't." Chase said before he sent an energy Buffy's way. It hit her, sending her flying back into one of the walls. She hit the ground with a thud. Chase wasn't surprised to see her getting up not that long after she hit the ground. Caleb took this chance to send an energy ball at Chase. It hit Chase, sending him back a little. He chuckled and just gave Caleb a smug look. He sent one right back at Caleb, slamming him into a wall.

"Caleb." Buffy said in a gasp as she started to run to his side. She was almost close enough to reach out and touch him when she was pulled to a stop. She gasped in pain as looked to see what stopped her. Chase was holding her with tentacle like things. Caleb lifted his head, his eyes landing on Buffy's gasping form. He cringed. She was in a lot of pain. He glanced at Chase as he slowly got up.

"Let her go Chase." Caleb growled out to him. Chase looked at Caleb then to Buffy, as if he was thinking. He shrugged and with a flap of his wrist she was thrown into a pillar. She hit the ground with a thud. Caleb waited to see if she would bounce back from it, but she wasn't. Her body stayed there, unmoving. Caleb's head turned to look at Chase, his glare could kill. Chase chuckled. This was amusing to him. Caleb ran, the best he could, over to Buffy's side. He came to a slide as he stopped at her side.

"What is it with you two and worrying about the other? It's so loving. It makes me sick." Chase said as he tossed Caleb into a pillar by Ariella. Before any of them realized what was going on, Caleb was engulfed by energy. A bolt of lightening hit him every few seconds now. Buffy came to just in time to see Chase coming to ground level and going over to Caleb.

"Caleb." She gasped out. She glanced at her watch. Caleb was officially 18 and ascending now. That could be both good and bad for them right now. Chase looked at the hole in the ceiling of the barn to Caleb. He knew what was going on all too well. He glanced back at Buffy, whom was struggling to just sit up. He looked back at Caleb and chuckled loudly.

"Are we ascending?" He said, pleased as can be. He tossed an energy ball at Caleb, making it so it was more painful for him. He looked back at Buffy. "Aren't you just honored? You're the first slayer to witness this. Truly an honor if you ask me." He said upon seeing how Buffy's expression was a mix of shock and fear for Caleb. He turned to Caleb "You get to watch the beautiful slayer die too. What a privilege." Chase says as he claps his hands together. Buffy spites out blood and gives Chase a smug look as she rises to her feet.

"I've already died once and came back Chase. I'm not going down so easily." Buffy said with a small bitter filled laugh. She needed to buy Caleb time. So that's what she's going to do. She held her side as she limped over to Chase. "You really think that taking Caleb's powers and killing me is going to keep you alive and safe, don't you?" Buffy said as she came close. He glared at her. "You do? Wow, and I thought Spike was dense. You still age, Chase! A new slayer would be born and come kill your old ass. We will still win, Chase." Buffy said as she came to a stop.

"Shut up!" He hollered at her. His anger was beyond out of control now. The flames inside the lanterns danced around. The hay near by caught on fire not long after Chase's anger raised inside of him. The flames kept growing, thanks to Chase. Buffy now fears for her friend, whom was surrounded by flames.

"Why? Do you not like the truth, Chase? You'll loose! Bad guys like you always do!" Buffy said more loudly this time. Chase growled at her, his eyes, if possible, got darker. Buffy winced in pain, but stood strong. She blocked out Caleb's screams of pain the best she could. She hated hearing him in pain, but there was nothing she could that she wasn't already.

"I said shut up!" Chase said as he threw a energy ball at Buffy. It sent her threw the door of the barn and all the way outside until a tree blocked her path. She let out a scream of pure pain as she hit the wood. She hit the ground equally as hard. She didn't move and wasn't about to anytime soon. Chase smirked smugly, seeing and knowing this fact. Caleb's Ascension was over. He landed on his knees, the new energy flowing through him. His teeth were clenched upon seeing Buffy not moving outside. He levitated to his feet and threw an energy ball at Chase. Chase was hit directly and thrown back. Chase brushed himself off and got up. If he was hurt, he sure wasn't showing it.

"Nice shot. How do you like mine?" He said before he sent Caleb his own energy ball that sent him out the window. Caleb used as he hit the ground, leaving him breathless, laid out on the muddy ground. Chase appeared above him. "Say it already." He ordered as he hovered over him. Caleb turned his head, just a little, to see Buffy. She still hasn't even moved a little. "Say it!" Chase shouted as he forced Caleb to look at him again. "I--" Chase said, wanting Caleb to repeat him.

"I."

"Will." Chase said.

"Will."

"You." Chase said with a smug look playing on his lips.

"You . . . nothing." Caleb growled. He kicked Chase off of him and jumped back on his feet. Chase glared at Caleb. He was so close to finishing this. So damn close! Caleb held his fists up, ready for the fight of his life. Before Chase had a chance to attack back, Caleb sent energy ball after energy ball at him. Every time, hitting Chase head on. Chase got in a few good shots, unfortunately. Caleb formed an energy ball in his hands. Chase watched, dumbstruck, as it grew. A bolt of lightning hit the ball of energy, making it even bigger. Chase knew this was going to not end well for him. He charged at Caleb, trying to get to him before he throws the energy his way, but it was too late. Caleb sent the energy ball at Chase. It sent him flying back when it went threw him. As the energy ball hit the barn, causing a small explosion, Chase was thrown into the flames.

Caleb rushed inside the burning barn. It was going to fall in at any moment now. He needed to get to Ariella quickly, before it's too late. The flames were quickly rising. He jumped over a fallen piece of wood. He could see her not that far ahead through the flames. The flames were dancing closely to her skin, too close for Caleb's liking. He jogged over to her, stopping right in front of her. She looked so innocent, like nothing bad had ever touched her tonight. Caleb, carefully, gathered her in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder, and carried her out.

Buffy opens her eyes slowly. Her vision is blurry at first. She sees something in the distance. As her vision focuses, she realizes that it's Caleb carrying Ariella out of the burning barn. She knew it was Caleb, how could she not? Somethings a girl just knows, Caleb being one of those things for her. She watches as Caleb gently lays Ariella down on a wagon. She smiles softly upon seeing him place a potato sack over her. Caleb caresses Ariella's cheek in a brotherly way. Ariella slowly starts to come through. She panics as she sits up, her breathing was heavy. She calms down upon seeing Caleb in front of her. He lets out a breath. She's okay, a bit freaked, but okay. She looked around her, not having a clue as to what was going on.

"What's going on Caleb? Where are we?" Ariella questioned him. He bit his lip. What the hell was he suppose to say to her? Reid had told him to lie. On any other situation he would have said 'screw you Reid' and told the truth, but Reid was actually right. Ariella didn't need to know this time. She shouldn't have been involved, not with everything that has happened to her this past month.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Caleb said curiously. It might be a good thing to make sure he doesn't say something completely different from what she remembers. Just maybe. Ariella bit her lip, trying to think back to what she was doing before everything went blank.

"I was in the woods. Reid couldn't take a stupid joke. I heard something and started running. I swear I saw a pair of eyes though. I . . . I started running. Something hit me in the head. That's the last thing I remember, care to fill in the blanks?" Ariella said, looking Caleb in the eye. Caleb rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"That would have been me or Buffy. We were taking a short cut back to the car from the diner. We had walked to the diner, stupid us. You might have not have heard us and started running. We ran after you. You got hit by a rock or something and blacked out. We brought you to the barn, since it was really bad out and it was closer. Buffy or I must have bumped into this lantern though. The barn caught on fire." Caleb explained to her. She nodded to him. She was soaked and very worn out. Caleb talked too much and was making her more tired.

"Caleb." A voice came from behind him. Ariella gasped in shock. Caleb spun around, just in time to catch a falling Buffy. Who knew attempting to walk took so much out of you? Caleb smiles weakly as he holds her up in his arms. He moves her stray wet stand of her hair behind her ear, caressing her cheek as he lets his hand move down her cheek. There were no words for how happy he was to see her beautiful eyes again.

"I thought I lost you." He whispered softly enough that only Buffy could hear him. Buffy gave him a weak smile as they stared in each other's eyes. Ariella watches the moment she's been waiting for to happen since Buffy first arrived in Ipswich. To Buffy and Caleb, it was just them there though.

"Thoughts like that make me think you don't know me very . . ." Buffy started, but was cut off by Caleb crashing his lips onto her own. Their lips moved in sync with the others. It felt so right. Ariella looked away, not wanting to peep on their moment. Buffy wrapped her arms around his neck slowly. She didn't mind the pain. She, honestly, didn't really care. Buffy pulled away, only because of her lack of breath. Their eyes locked, a smile playing on both their lips. After a minute, Ariella cleared her throat.

"Hate to be one to ruin this long awaited moment for you two, but can I ask why I'm in a dress?" Ariella asked with a small little giggle. Buffy and Caleb shared a look before the two burst out in laughter. Ariella didn't know what was so funny, but her guess was that they caught the part about them in her sentence. Who really knows?


	14. Brothers Make Comfty Pillows

Thanks for the review! I do not own anything but Ariella! Enjoy!

* * *

Ariella rushed down the halls of the hospital. She didn't care if people were in her way, she pushed her way through. Caleb and Buffy had told her that her brother was in an accident. Stupid Reid had a PMS moment on the guys when they wouldn't leave him alone about using and crashed Pogue's bike. Nice move on her brother's part. Caleb and Buffy weren't far behind her. They were acting awkward the whole ride to the hospital. Ariella would have laughed if Reid wasn't hurt. She pushed right pass Pogue and Tyler and ran right inside the room. She stopped dead in her tracks upon seeing her brother.

"Reid." She said, tears filling her eyes. He looked horrible. No, worse than horrible. Reid's eyes opened and he shot up, almost immediately regretting that though as a pain shot through him. He groaned in pain, which only made Ariella want to cry more. He was her older brother. He wasn't suppose to be in pain. Reid rolled his eyes, trying his best to be strong for his little sister.

"You going to stand there all night, or actually come inside?" He said in a rasped voice. Ariella let out a laugh, but it came out more like a sob. She rushed to his side and wrapped her arms around him. She sobbed into his hospital gown. "Oh enough with the tears. You know it will take a lot more than one motorcycles crash to get rid of me." Reid said to his sister. Ariella just rolled her eyes at him.

"I know that, dumb ass. Just move over already." Ariella sobbed. Reid chuckled and moved over so she could come on the bed. She climbed in, careful not to pull on any of the wires. Reid wrapped his arms around his sister and held her. Caleb and the others came in after. Reid chuckled. Caleb and Buffy couldn't have farther apart if they tried.

"Looks like boss man finally made his move one the beautiful sl . . . Buffy." Reid said. Luckily for them, Ariella didn't catch his slip up. None of them felt right keeping things from her, but they needed to do what they had to do to keep her safe. Caleb and Buffy both blushed and shared a look. "About damn time." Reid muttered, making Ariella giggle. Sleep finally caught up with Ariella, and Reid was a really comfortable pillow.

"Who would have thought that big brothers make such good pillows." Ariella mumbled out to the group. Reid chuckled and rolled his eyes at his sister. The others just laughed quietly to themselves. Reid nodded his head to the spare blanket on the chair behind Tyler. Tyler nodded and picked it up. He covered Ariella with it gently.

"I'll take your word for it Ari." Buffy said to her friend. Ariella got comfortable and smiled as she nodded. She yawn as she slowly drifted off to sleep. Reid chuckled at how silly she could be sometimes. He moves a stay piece of her blond hair behind her ear, the best he could anyways. He doesn't care if he looks like a lovey dovey loser. She's his sister and he does, no matter what others think, care for his sister's well being.

******

Buffy unlocked her dorm room door and let Caleb in. She winces as she limps inside and over to the bathroom. She looked in the mirror and winced upon seeing how awful she looked. Caleb sat on Buffy's bed and took a breath. Right now was the one second, since his race with Chase in the pool, that he was able to relax. He looked at Buffy and frowned. She was trying, unsuccessfully, to take off her jean jacket. He sighed and got up from his spot on the bed. He made his way up behind her and helped her with her jacket.

He wanted to kill Chase, again, just from seeing Buffy. He knew she was probably use to this, what with her job being fighting vampires on a daily basis and all, but it still made his blood boil. She gave him a weak smile, which she knew he saw straight through. Only a few could do this, see through her mask, see her hidden pain. Caleb was one of those very few. She still hadn't turned to face him yet though.

"It's over." She whispered out. She wasn't really saying to out loud to him. She was just merely stating what needed to be true. It was over. Chase was gone. Caleb and her were . . . together? Who knows? They'll figure it out later. Ariella's back and safe. Reid's recovering, now with the help of Ariella. Good luck to Reid, he's gonna need it. Ariella's not going to let him do anything that he would normally do, which means anything stupid. Yup, he's going to go nuts by the next hour.

"Buffy--" Caleb sighed, but trailed off, not knowing what to say. Buffy turned around and looked up at him. Their eyes locked in with the others. Buffy gave him another small smile. It was over.

"It's really over, Caleb. I mean, I know they didn't find a body, but Chase, you saw it. He went into the explosion. It was fuzzy when it happened, but I did see him go in. Maybe no body is good. Less explaining we have to do, you know?" Buffy said in a ramble. She was still in racing mode, her head was going a mile a minute.

"Buffy, breath. Just . . . just take a breath. Everyone's safe that needs to be safe. We did it." Caleb said as he pulled Buffy in his arms. Her head laid on his chest and listened to his heart beat. It was peaceful in her opinion. It made everything around her slow down. Buffy took a deep breath, like he told her too.

"Happy?" She said into his soot covered shirt. He chuckled and looked down at her with a smile. She looked up and met his eyes. Their eyes locked. Buffy frowned realizing something. Angel was right. She was getting attached to Caleb. Caleb looked at her confused.

"Buffy, what's wrong?" Caleb asked her.

"I got attached." She let slip out. Caleb looked at her even more confused now. He didn't know about the reason why she and Spike had come to Ipswich yet. "Too Ipswich I mean. I shouldn't have got attached to this town, but I did." Buffy said sadly to him. It wasn't a complete lie. She did get attached to this town, and the people living there. Caleb frowned, thinking that she thought their kiss was a mistake and she'd be leaving as fast as she could.

"I . . . I don't." Caleb started, but didn't know quite what to say to her. She rolled her eyes at him. She knew what he was thinking, but he couldn't be anymore wrong. Buffy chuckled softly into his shirt, leaving Caleb very confused now. "What's so funny, Buffy?" Caleb asked, clearly missing something.

"You think I regret the kiss we shared at the barn, don't you? You couldn't be anymore wrong, Caleb. I couldn't regret it even if I wanted to, which would never happen." Buffy laughed as she held Caleb's head in her hands. He rolled his eyes, now knowing what was making her laugh.

"You're leaving Ipswich though, aren't you?" Caleb said in a hushed tone. Buffy sighed and looked at the floor for a moment. He was right. Her home was back in Sunnydale, not here. She had family and friends waiting her to return. She looked back up at Caleb and ran her thumb down his cheek.

"Not now, but yeah. I can't stay. I have people who love and need me back home Caleb, just like you do here." She answered him. He nodded he understood. "Can we just take this day by day, at least for now?" Buffy asked him. He nodded as his eyes flickered from her lips to her eyes. She caught the look in his eyes and smiled shyly at him. She knew what he was thinking.

"Sounds like a plan." Caleb said before he leaned down and captured Buffy's lips with his own. They started out slowly, both moving together in sync with the other's. Buffy, forgetting all about the pain in her arms, wrapped her arms around his neck. Caleb held her close in his arms as they kissed.

*******

Reid yawned, but couldn't stretch like he wanted to as he woke up from his cat nap. "What the hell?" He said in a tired voice as he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes with his left arm. He couldn't move his right for some reason unknown to him. He opens his eyes and looked down. He suddenly remembered that Ariella had fallen a sleep in his arms when Caleb brought her. He smirked and tilted his head as he watched his little sister sleep.

He wasn't watching her in some weird un-brotherly way. He missed his sister is all. He had been the reason it was so easy for Chase to take her. He was glad she didn't know of anything that went down. He was doing something right for once. Ariella's eyes flutters opened on a moments notice. She jumped back, some how not pulling on any wires, and fell off the bed with a yelp.

"God dammit, Reid!" Ariella yelled as she rubbed her head. Reid leaned over his bed and smirked his ass off at his little sister. It wasn't long before he started to bust out laughing. "This isn't funny! That really hurt." Ariella said in a childish voice to Reid. This just made him laugh more.

"One little, naive, sister. That was so very funny. Two, stop whining and get up from the floor." Reid said, a small chuckle still hinted in his voice. Ariella shot him a glare and stuck her tongue out at him as she got up. She dusted herself off. "I'm bored. Let's hit Nicky's with Baby boy." Reid said as he went to pull out his IV, but Ariella grabbed her purse Tyler had dropped off for her while the two were napping and swatted his hand away. "Ow! What the hell Ari?" Reid yelled as he rubbed his other arm.

"There is no way I'm letting you out of that bed unless it's to go to the bathroom or the doctor tells me so. If it's shorter than a half a week at least I will know you used on the staff, Reid." Ariella said sternly to him. Reid rolled his eyes and shot her the bird. Ariella stuck her tongue out at him and gave him the finger right back.

"You're such a little bitch sometimes. You really know how to ruin my life, I swear." Reid muttered as Ariella got ready to leave. She needed to change and pack some things for tomorrow. No way was she leaving her brother alone. He'd just leave and lock her in a closet. She stopped at the door and turned to look at him, a smile beaming from her lips.

"That's my job as a little sister, so get use to it." She said before she left. She was quick doing this for a good reason. 'SMASH.' She winced upon hearing something shattering against the door. She knew it wasn't meant to hit her, just make her jumpy. Reid didn't like rules, and that's what she just put on the table. Rules.


	15. A Little Birdie Told Me

Hope you all like! I do not own anything, but Ariella, so don't sue me please lol

Buffy, now, sat between Pogue and Caleb in the class Ariella had with them all, like she did in all her classes with Caleb. Reid got a welcome back breakfast from most of the female population this morning. Spike and Ariella still haven't even once spoke one single word to the other since the night he had attacked her. Tyler was still spending a lot of time with Ariella, much to Spike's displeasure. Pogue's bike is still in the shop, but when isn't it?

Yup, a regular day in the life of Ariella Garwin. Ariella looked around the room. She smiled. Everything was like it should be. All the girls were drooling over her brother. Tyler and her were sharing jokes and notes. Pogue, if she knew him as well as she thinks she does, is worrying about his bike. Caleb has his arm around Buffy, acting all lovey dovey with the other. Everything was perfect. Well, almost everything.

Spike.

Every thing's far from perfect when he's concerned. He's distant from the group, even from Buffy. She felt responsible for that. She knew that she was being selfish about things between herself and Spike. She noticed that after she and Buffy talked about what had happened, Spike and her seemed to not hang around each other as much. She knew, deep down, that something like that would have happened. She had even called it. She knew that Buffy would have to have picked between them in the end. Spike chose for her though.

"Miss. Garwin, will you please read the second passage of page 346 of your book." The teacher asked out, interrupting Ariella from her thoughts. Ariella blushed upon seeing that everyone was now looking at her. She nodded, found the right page and started reading out loud. Spike couldn't help but smirk upon seeing her blush. After all this time, she still got to him. It didn't matter if she didn't talk to him directly. He often found her 'sneaking' a glance at him. That was something. He had talked to Buffy the day after Chase 'died'. They were staying a while longer, no duh on the reason why. This just gave him more time to make things right with Ariella though. He didn't know how just yet, but he will. Somehow.

Spike is walking down the busy hall, by himself, like usual. He freezes mid-step though. His breathing, that he didn't need, hitched. There she was. Alone. Ariella was alone for once since he had attacked her. It was fate telling him to get his but in gear and go talk to her. He walked over to her, slowly, and stopped in front of her. She looked up and froze. He knew she was about to go run off.

"Don't run away. I want to talk is all, luv." Spike said to her. She stopped. She was waiting for him to say something else. "What happened that night bit, never should have happened. I want you to know that I'm . . ." Spike was cut off by her closing her locker with a slam. She looked at him sadly. She wasn't even going to let him say he that was sorry.

"Don't bother saying something you don't mean, Spike. If you were really thinking what you're saying, you wouldn't have done what you tried to do in the first place. I'm sorry that Buffy and you haven't been hanging out as much, but that's her choice not mine." Ariella whispered to him. Neither wanted someone over hearing their conversation.

"Luv, please . . ." Again Spike was cut off by someone. This time it was Tyler, whom was coming up behind Ariella. "We're talking here, mate." Spike growled at Tyler. Ariella spun around and gave Tyler a small smile. To her, she was happy he interrupted. Spike, on the other hand, wasn't so happy about it.

"No. We're done talking here, Spike. C'mon Ty. We have Bio." Ariella said, never once looking away from Spike's pleading eyes. His stare was pleading her to stay and just talk to him. She shook her head, knowing that she couldn't stay with Spike here any longer. Tyler nodded and wrapped his arm around Ariella's shoulders as they left.

"Sorry dude. Later." Tyler said sincerely to Spike. Spike just glared at the two walking away from him. He needed to hit something. He punched the locker, which just happened to belong to one Buffy Summers. Ariella glanced over her shoulder sadly. She hated to hurt anyone, but he didn't get to say sorry and for it to be all okay after. He had tried to rape her. It didn't matter that he stopped. He didn't get a free-be.

Reid had seen the whole thing. Ariella and Spike talking privately. Tyler interrupting, and taking Ariella away. Spike punching, _and_ denting a locker. He knew the right thing to do was to let Ariella and Spike figure this out on their own, but since when did he ever do the right thing? He walked up to Spike and adjusted his bag. Spike looked up at him and Reid could tell that he wasn't in the mood for anyone to talk to him.

"You know, Ella's not going to be the worst of your problems, right? Buffy's gonna be pissed when she sees her locker, and Mr. Stick up his ass is gonna blame me too. I'm all for taking the blame if it was just annoying Caleb, but dude? A pissed off Buffy is not something I want directed at me." Reid chuckled as he looked around for any sign of Buffy or the others.

"Who bloody cares? Summers can bitch all she wants." Spikes says as he storm off to his next class. Reid tilts his head and smirks. He had a plan. A very good plan in his opinion. Possible one of his best.

Ariella was, very, pleased remembering that she was switched to another of Buffy's classes. She needed a friend right now. She really needed to vent right now. She groaned as she plopped down in her seat next to Buffy. Buffy raised a brow at the depressed girl beside her. She didn't get a chance to answer because a smirking blond caught her curious eye.

Reid was too chipper. He had a plan. Oh god. About what? only he knew, but she was planning on figuring it out. Lucky for her, he sat behind her in this class. Before she knew it she felt something be pushed into her pony tail. She glanced back at Reid as as she took it out. It was a note. She unfolded it and read what was wrote inside. A smile graced her lips as she turned around to look at Reid and nodded.

Ariella walked in Nicky's slowly, letting her eyes scan the room. Smoke and loud music filled her senses. She got use to the smell of smoke and the loud music a long time ago. Her and Reid's Sunday nights after she turned thirteen were usually spent here. She looked around her. Buffy had said to meet her here at 8, and it was . . . 8:10 now. She scanned the room and found it Buffy-less.

She moved to the bar and slid into one of the empty stools. She really needed a drink, her life had made this so. She feels like she's completely out of the loop at times. The guys and Buffy share these looks like they know some secret that she doesn't. It should be the opposite. She should know the secret, not Buffy. Buffy was her best friend and all, but this is, like, law or something. She's the daughter of Ipswich. Buffy's the newbie to the group, even if they all act like they've known each other for years, it's true.

She scans the room again, not actually noticing anyone sitting at the bar. She knew kids broke the rules on drinking, but never at Nicky's. Nicky's was the one place the drinking law was followed, or well, almost always followed. She notices some kids here that she knows from school, but none that would actually rat her out to her brother and the other sons. She also notices Nicky's not in as bartender tonight, some newbie guy was.

Perfect.

She could have him wrapped around her finger in no time. She was about to order when a voice cut her off. "Does a little birdy need to chirp to the little girl's brother about someone slipping her a drink?" He said behind her. She would have scoffed and rolled her eyes if he didn't send chills up her spine. She was frozen in her seat, her body suddenly tense upon feeling the coldness radiating off his body. Which was strange because he was never warm. Hasn't this guy ever heard of heaters? They have an on switch, maybe he doesn't know that though?

"You wouldn't rat me out." She didn't ask, she was stating a fact. Spike never seemed the type to follow the rules, and never to enforce them either. She spun around in her stool slowly to look up at him. She tilted her head to the side, giving him the famous Garwin smirk. He rolled his eyes and shrugged, taking the seat next to her. She tensed up, she still didn't like being this close to Spike, but Buffy would be here any minute. The least she could do was be civil with him for a minute.

Could she do that though? Sit this close to her almost attacker for a minute and not want to run for the hills? She was going to try. He hasn't made any reason for her to be scared, the exact opposite. He's kept his distance and almost looks . . . sorry for what he did. She watched him with a curious eye as he twiddled with his thumbs. He was scanning the room, his eyes of a predators.

"You gonna look at my hot body all night or let me order ya something, Luv?" Ariella tensed. Just when she thinks he couldn't be the monster who attacked her, someone had forced him to what he tried to do, he says something that Reid would say and prove that, somewhere deep down inside of him, that he could be that monster that he had been that night.

"Just beer." She muttered to him. He watched her sadly before turning and ordering a beer for her. The guy didn't even ask for an id. Well, Spike does look a lot older than he really is. Maybe it was his hair that gave him that look? She didn't know, and she didn't much care at the moment. All she wanted to do was get out of her seat, with her beer, and get as far away from this guy and wait for Buffy.

Before she knew it, Spike slid the beer over to her. She didn't give any motion that she was going to thank him or anything. She just got up from her stool and walked to her brother and the other son's table, beer in hand. Spike's head hung low in defeat. He had thought he was getting somewhere there for a second, then he just has to open his stupid yap and say something stupid.

An hour later and the two were still waiting in their own seats across the bar from each other. She refused to look behind her to look the bar, to look at him. He watched her, his eyes refusing to leave the back of her head. He acted as if he looked away for ever a second that she would be taken from him forever. Not like he hadn't already made sure that would happen already.

He sighed, finally having enough of this stupid plan that, he knew for a fact, the slayer and Reid had set up. He had figured it out just minutes ago, but he hadn't found the courage to let her in on the fact. Reid had invited him to Nicky's, while at the same time, Buffy had invited Ariella. Neither actually had any intention of showing up though, that much he had figured out on his own. Spike got up from his seat and slowly, even slow for a human, walked up behind her.

"Looks like we've been tricked, Luv." Spike made his presence known to her. She didn't move, didn't even show that she knew that he was there. He sighed, sick of this stupid game that she's playing. She's scared of him, well she should be. He'd be the scared one if she wasn't. He looked around, knowing no one they really knew was here. He grasped her arm, pulling her to her feet and over toward a more privet part of the building.

She didn't know what to think. She was being dragged across the room by a man that had tried to rape her only months ago. She didn't know if she should scream and fight back or not. She wasn't going to let him get as far as he did the first time though. She saw the back door in their line of walking and didn't want to find out if they were leaving through it or not. She pulled her arm out of his hold, catching him off guard.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" She screeched out to him, her hair hitting her face from her sudden movement, falling back into place soon after. He rolled his eyes, she was going to make a scene if she didn't keep her voice down. He scanned the room, she hadn't caused a scene yet, which isn't such a bad thing.

"Why don't you get over your self luv? I don't want to hurt you, I just want to talk to ya." Spike tells her, but she doesn't want to listen to what he had to say. She just wants to not be confused anymore. She wants to know who to trust, and who to not trust. She doesn't want to be deceived by him again. She doesn't want to trust him then have him attack her again, only next time he might not stop.

"You expect me to believe that?" She couldn't believe him. He's seriously standing there, telling her what he wants her to do. Hell no. She didn't have to do anything for him. When he didn't respond, she rolled her eyes at him before walking out the back entrance of Nicky's alone. Spike growled, not because of Ariella's stubborn-ness, but because he had, yet again, missed his chance to make things right with her. He picked up one of the glasses on the table near by and threw it into a wall. No one paid attention to him, lucky for him.

_'Get the hell off of me!'_ He un beating heart felt like it had stopped again. He knew that voice. He listen for another minute. He only heard one heartbeat, and that belonged to his Ariella. He heard a crash and jumped into action. He raced out of Nicky's to see a vampire snarling at Ariella, whom was on the ground holding her head.

"Sod off ya twit! Leave the bird alone." Spike shouted, getting the vampire's attention off of Ariella and onto himself. Spike was nervous about letting his demon out to play. He knew that he could take this vampire hands down, but what if he couldn't? What if the vampire used Ariella to bait him? She's his weakness, as much as he'd rather not admit it, but she is. Before Spike knew it, he was tackled to the ground. The vampire's fist met his face repeatingly.

"Spike!" He heard Ariella scream out, fearing for his life. Sure, she didn't want him near her, but that didn't mean she wanted him dead! She needed to do something. She looked around for something to hit the man with, scanning the ally that she was is. She beamed at the sight of a lead pipe. She jumped to her feet, picking up the pipe, and hit the man over the head with it. Only, he didn't fall like she had hoped. Fear ripped through her when she saw the dent in the pipe. The man turned around, his face distorted. She let out a scream when the man growled at her. He back handed her, sending her flying into the boxes of liquor.

Spike growled, anger now swelling inside him as he lunged onto the vampire, his game face now on. He tore at the vampire's neck with his teeth, ripping his head off completely. The vampire turned to dust instantly. Spike's breath was labored, his chest rising and falling from taking unnecessary breathes. Blood was dripping down the sides of his chin, his inner demon still out and ready to kill. He heard a gasp a little ways away. He turned to see what made the noise.

Ariella.

He shook his vampire features away, wiping the blood off his mouth with the back of his hand. She had seen the real monster that he was. Ariella knew and he couldn't do anything about it. He slowly raised to his feet at the same time she did. Her eyes were screaming out in fear, so much that his mouth watered at the thought. He had thought that she would scream and run away when she found out, but he couldn't have been more wrong. She walked, well, limped, up to him, a glare in her eyes as she stood face to face.

"You're going to take me home and explained what the hell just happened to us, you hear me Spike?" Ariella said to him, her voice so cold that it even sent shivers down his own spine. He nodded and let her lead the way to the car. He opened her door for her, closing it when she was securely inside the car's seat. He closed the door to her side and jogged quickly over to his own, jumping in. The two took off back to Spencer. This was going to be one long night.


	16. Always Alone

I know it probably the shortest chapter I've ever done, but here it is! Enjoy!

When they reached the school's parking lot, Ariella stormed out and made a bee-line toward the woods. She didn't want any chance of anyone interrupting her and Spike's conversation. Spike hurried to follow behind her. They walked for some time before Ariella seemed to find their location far enough from the school, but yet still close enough at the same time.

"What are you?" She blurted out to him as she came to a stop. Spike hated that question. It made him feel like the monster that he truly was. He could hear her heart beat beating a mile a second. She was beyond terrified right now.

"Well, I'm British luv." Spike tried to break the tension. Ariella sent him a glare, not finding his attempt of humor very funny. Spike let out a nervous laugh, rubbing his neck. "I don't want to sound like one of those cheesy movies, luv, but I'm . . . I'm a vampire." Spike said, not looking up and meeting her eyes. Ariella couldn't say she was surprised after what she witnessed tonight. Her brother and his friends were warlocks for heaven sakes! How could think one was a myth when the other was real?

"The night you attacked me, you weren't . . . you were never going to rape me, were you?" Ariella needed to know. She's waited this long to ask, she didn't care if she was rushing her questions. Or that she should have run the second she heard the words leave his mouth.

"No. I maybe a monster, but I wouldn't go as low as to do that." Spike answered her as honestly as he could. He hated thinking about that night as much as she did. He wished that it had never happened. Ariella gulped, she was afraid of that answer. She wanted to believe that if he had really been trying to do . . . that, then him being a vampire couldn't be true.

"Why didn't you bite me? Why'd you stop?" She asked him, biting back the sob that wanted to come out. Was a normal crisis too much to ask for. Of course she wished it would have never happened, but since it did she just wished that it wasn't supernatural.

"Would you have liked if I had killed you, luv?" Spike asked, his breath hitting her bare skin. He was right behind her. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. He was so close to her, to her neck. She made the mistake of turning around. She was face to face with him now. She gasped, feeling the shock that went through her when their bodies bumped into the other. Her pale blue eyes got lost in his icy blue eyes. Spike's eyes flickered to her lips, wanting nothing more than to capture them with his own. His eyes flickered back and forth between her lips and her eyes as he started to lean down. Just seconds before his lips met her's, she turned her head away from him.

"Nothing's changed Spike. If anything, it's worse. You tried to _kill_ me, not just take my innocence away from me against my will, but actually tried to kill me." She wouldn't look at him. She didn't want to see his hurt expression. She didn't want to see the pain in his eyes that she knew were there. She turned to leave, but something he said made her stop.

"I wanted something!" She heard him say to her. She looked over her shoulder, her eyes meeting his. "Anything to make these feelings stop. I wanted them to _stop_!" He continued. Ariella couldn't stop the gasp from leaving her lips. She looked away from him, hoping to god that she wouldn't cry.

"I . . . I need to go." She said to him, her voice just barely loud enough for even him to hear her, before she left him there alone. His expression dropped, all the hope that he ever could have had was gone. He was left alone. Always alone.


	17. Do I Even Want To Know?

Here's a treat for the little chapter I posted. I hated the fact that the last chapter was so tiny, I hope this one makes up for it a little bit. Here's chapter 16!

Enjoy!

Buffy took her usual seat with Caleb next to her on her left and with Pogue on her right. So things didn't go as well as she and Reid had planned last night. Ariella wouldn't talk to her when she had came in. She looked worn out and hurt. When she saw Ariella limp, she had enough with the silent treatment. She made Ariella explain what had happened. She eventually did, leaving out the part about her finding out that vampires were real and that Spike was one himself. Buffy saw the bruises on her stomach. How could she have missed those when she first came inside?

Luckily for Ariella her ribs weren't broken, but she would have some nasty bruises and would be really sore in the morning. After Ariella had fallen a sleep, Buffy left to get Spike's own story about last nights events. Spike told her the parts Ariella left out. He told her that he had told Ariella the truth as to what he really was, but nothing about her slayer job or their mission. She knew that he wasn't completely at fault. She felt for him though. This whole mess was partly her fault too. If she had stopped him that night, none of this would be happening. Caleb nudged her a little to get her attention.

"You okay? You zoned out there for a minute." He asked her. She gave him a weak smile and nodded. She loved that he was so concerned for her. He was nothing like Angel. Caleb knew what she did, and of course he worried, but he trusted her enough to let her do what does. She knew he would do what he could if she needed his help, but he let her do what she does best. Stake vampires and kill demons that were out to destroy the world.

"Yeah, fine. Sorry, I'm just tired I guess. Long night." She didn't completely lie to him. Really. It was long, tiring, night for her, and she was in fact very tired. Caleb didn't completely believe her, but he would let her deal with what ever she has going on herself. If she needed him, she would ask. He hoped at least.

Ariella let her head rest on Tyler's shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. She saw Spike enter the room and looked sadly at him. He looked hurt, but angry too? She saw that his glare wasn't at her though. It was at Tyler. Was he jealous? No way. She felt guilty. She had hurt him too in all of this. She wiggled out of Tyler's embraced and lifted her head. She shot him a 'sorry' look quickly. She was still tired though. She rested her head on her brother's shoulder instead.

Tyler looked hurt, but brushed it off. She wasn't his girl. He had no right to be mad at her for pulling out of his embrace and moving over to her brother's shoulder to rest on. Reid, instinctively, wrapped his arm around his sister in a protective way. Ever since their fight in the class room and her kidnapping, he's been more protective of her. She never noticed though. That might be because she was never around when he acted like a brother should, and he never mentioned it to her when she was around.

Spike just went to his usual seat in the back. His seat gave him the perfect line of vision to watch Ariella. Even if it was just the back of her head. He knew that she could see him if she turned around too. He hoped that they had taken one step forward, and not two steps back last night. He couldn't help but smirk upon seeing Tyler be rejected though. That meant something. She saw him and moved away from Tyler. It had to mean something.

Like he told Buffy when he was dumped by Drusilla all those months ago. He's love's bitch. It was true. He wouldn't denie it. Except his love didn't belong to Drusilla anymore. It was for Ariella. He knew that saying he loved a girl that he had just met a month ago was crazy, but he knew Dru in even shorter time and stayed with her for centuries. Bloody hell, he sounded like peaches now.

He noticed Ariella glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to face her and smirked as he leaned back, his hands laced together behind his head. Yup, that deffinally meant something. He just had to keep at it. Nothing was set in stone, and for all he knows? This is just gonna all blow up in his face, but he'll just have to wait and see. God, he hates waiting.

Spike sat on his bed with a manican head on his lap. He ran his fingers through it's fake blond, almost white, hair. He caressed it's rubber skinned cheek, his eyes looking lovingly at it. He smirked, his eyes locking with it's painted on blue ones. "You know luv, you have the bluest eyes that I've ever . . . no no no. Sounds too corny. Your hair is as white . . . no, she'll think that I think of her as an old bag." He said to himself, shaking his head in frustration. If he couldn't talk to an Ariella manican head, how is he going to talk to the real thing? He growled out. "Bloody girl!" He yelled as he threw the head against the wall next to his door, right as the door opened. Buffy jumped to the right in shock. She eyed the head in the wall, then Spike.

"Do I even want to know?" She asked him as she shut the door and pulled the head out of the wall. "You do know that the school isn't going to like you making holes in the wall, right?" She tried to say serious less, but all she wanted to do was laugh. She looked at the fake head and noticed the similarities between the head and a certain blond friend of hers. "Why does . . . no. Never mind. I don't _want_ to know." She said as she tossed him the head. He tucked it under his bed right as he caught it in his hands.

"Why are you here, Summers?" He asked her flatly. He wasn't the mood for one of her speeches at the moment. He had plans to get Ariella to accept him again to think of. Buffy sat on his bed and frowned. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed a piece of pink cloth sticking out of his dresser. She shook her head. She didn't need, nor want, to know. Well, unless he was planning on going to go psycho on Ariella and attack her again. Then she did.

"So? You never did tell me how you thought last night went. Care to share?" Buffy asked him. She really wanted to know if Spike was going to just give up and accept that he can only watch from afar. She knew deep down that Spike couldn't have Ariella. What with him being a vampire and all. Angel did the exact same thing to her. A few times actually. Then again, Spike and Angel were different in this issue. Spike wouldn't care. He'd fight the temptation and still manage to stay with Ariella. He'd fight to keep her. Like Angel hadn't with her.

"Who said I share, luv?" He said to her. He smiled, remembering that Ariella had said the same thing to him the first night that they had met. Buffy rolled her eyes at him. She knew that he was going to tell her, eventually. At least, she hoped he did. She was dying to know what he thought. If there was any chance that Ariella could stand Spike just a little bit to let him into her world, she wouldn't have to worry about her friend so much.

"C'mon Spike. Don't make me beg. Ariella won't tell me anything besides that you saved her from a couple of guys in an ally and you two fought afterward." Buffy said to him, a pout in her expression. She knew that Ariella was leaving out the part that those 'guys' were really vampires and that she knew what Spike truly was. Spike smirked. Maybe he did have a slim chance.

"Oh don't beg pet. It doesn't suit you. The bird told you everythin'. We had it out a bit. A couple vamps ambushed us. I took care of 'em. I drove her home, or well, back here. We went to the woods and she asked her questions. I answered and she left." Spike didn't want to give Buffy the satisfaction of knowing how he felt about everything. It was none of her damn business.

"Seriously? No different side of the story? Nada?" Buffy asked him. She was hoping for something that showed signs of them possibly being more than staring buddies. She wasn't kidding. All they did was share that longing look, or the look of secret want when the other isn't looking. Was this how her and Angel acted? Wow, she never knew how annoying it gets after a while.

"What are we Summers? Bratty little tinie-boppers at a slumber party? What do you want to do next? My nails?" Spike said to her in a high pitched girly tone. Buffy rolled her eyes and got up off the bed. She didn't bother saying another word to him as she left his room. Spike groaned and laid back on his bed. What else could he do to get him back on Ariella's good side? Halloween was coming up soon. He could make his move then. Well, when he thinks of his move first.

When Buffy got back from Spike's dorm, she didn't even make it a step inside before she was pulled back out and down the hall. Ariella passed Buffy her purse as she dragged Buffy toward the exit of the girl's dorms. Buffy looked at her confused. Where was Ariella taking her? She tugged on Ariella's hand, making them both come to a stop.

"Ari, where are we going?" Buffy asked her friend. Ariella spun around and looked at Buffy with a shocked expression. She couldn't believe, or well she sorta could, that Buffy wasn't as excited about the up coming event as her. Two weeks from Saturday was Halloween! They needed hot costumes before they were gone.

"Buffy, are you serious? Halloween is in two weeks. Two weeks! We need costumes for Spencer's annual Halloween dance." Ariella explained to her. Buffy's jaw dropped. Ariella was worrying as if Halloween was tomorrow. Ariella scowled at the face Buffy was giving her.

"Yeah, two weeks, Ari. Why the big rush then?" Buffy asked her friend. Ariella just rolled her eyes, grabbing Buffy's hand and continued to drag her to the parking lot. It was then that Buffy realized Ariella couldn't drive. Neither could to make the situation that much worse. So how were they going to get to the shops?

"Ariella, neither of us can drive." Buffy pointed out to the younger girl. Ariella let out a laugh and held up a pair of car keys. Buffy took a closer look and saw that they belonged to none other than Tyler's hummer. Ariella unlocked the doors of Tyler's black Hummer and the two got in, Buffy more hesitant than Ariella. Obviously Ariella's done this before.

"Don't worry. I swipe Tyler's keys all the time. Pogue has been teaching me to drive since I turned ten." Ariella said seriously to her. Buffy shot her a confused look. "He was not going to let Reid teach me to drive if his life depended on it." She said half jokingly. Buffy knew that she was serious too though. Pogue, nor the other two boys, trusted Reid's driving skills. The girls were on the road by now. Buffy had to admit, Ariella wasn't half bad of a driver at fifth teen. It didn't take long to arrive in town. They parked Tyler's hummer in front of Sal's Diner. They decided to walk the rest of the way to the costume shop.

They discussed what they were going to look for. Ariella suggested that Buffy be something, her words not Buffy's, extremely gonna blow Caleb's eyes out drop dead sexy. Ariella was going for something that will piss off Reid to no end. She still held a grudge for him putting her in the dark rainy woods. She had the biggest bump on her head forever. She didn't mean to sound self centered, but it was fun to watch Reid pissed off. They entered the store and split up to go costume searching.

Something caught Ariella's eye after a minute or two. Vampire slayer costume. Her heart ached at the mere word vampire. One of the two employees on duty at the time spotted Ariella. He smirked as he watched Ariella and fixed himself up. He did a quick check over in the near by mirror. He winked at himself, seeing, in his eyes, perfection. He walked up behind her. He spotted the costume that she was entranced by. Vampire slayer. Very sexy in his opinion. A hot number like this one in tight skin exposed leather could never go wrong.

"Nice choice." He said to her. Ariella yelped and spun around. She ended up tripping over herself, making it so that she fell into the boy's arms. He wasn't complaining though. She quickly straightened up and blushed a scarlet red. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you." He said to her with a tilt of his head and a lop sided smirk playing on his lips. Ariella did a once over. She wouldn't go as far as saying that she had the hots for the guy on the spot, like she did with Spike when they first met, but he was attractive to say the least. Nice build, cute baby face that went nice with his stumbled chin, and right height.

"It's alright. I didn't hear you is all." Ariella said to him, sending her best flirty smile to the boy. She did need a date to the party after all. There wasn't a rule saying that the boy had to be from school either. She knew that he was interested in her from the shameless checking her out that he was doing. He cleared his throat, clearly getting distracted by her. Sometimes it was awesome being a Garwin.

"It is a nice choice though. The costume I mean. You go to Spencer, right?" He asked her. She giggled and nodded. Was it that obivous that she went to Spencer? He tilted his head and smirked at her. It wasn't as good as her brother's, but it just gave off more of that cuteness to him.

"That obivous? But yeah, I do. We're actually having a costume party soon. Maybe if you're interested you'd like to come with me?" Ariella asked him with the famous Garwin flirting face on. Reid could do it better than she could, but she was getting better at it. "Oh, I'm Ariella Garwin by the way?" She added as she looked through the other costumes. Vampire slayer just hit to close to her heart, well at least the vampire part did. She smiled as she spotted a sexy Alice in Wonderland costume. She could work with that. She glance up at him. His eyes were widened a bit, making her giggle. Her family was one of original families of Ipswich. Any sane person would die for a chance to go on a date with either of the Garwin children.

"I'd love to take you, Miss Garwin. I'm Ethan Ashford." He said to her as he made a funny expression and ran a hand through his brown spiked hair. She giggled. She knew he wasn't acting vein. He was trying to make her laugh. "I'm new here actually. My mom wanted me to find a job while she gets me registered in Spencer's enrollment." He said to her. She perked up a little. He was coming to Spencer.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around at school then. Are you staying in dorms or no?" She asked him. He looked as though he was in thought for a minute. She rolled her eyes and let out a laugh. She already couldn't help but laugh with him around her. He's another Reid, except with brown hair.

"Yeah, I think so." Ethan said to her. She smiled and nodded to him.

"Good. Me too. I should check up on my friend and see how she's holding up. I still have to buy costumes for my brother and his friends too." She said to him while she was searching through her purse. She smiled as she pulled out a napkin and pen. She scribbled her number down and handed it to him. "I'll see you later, Ashford." She said as she quickly grabbed the Alice costume in her size. She kissed him on the cheek and left with a wave. He blushed and watched her retreating form. As Ariella rounded the corner, she bumped into Buffy. Just who she was looking for.

"Any luck, Ari?" She asked her. She spotted the bag in her friend's hand. She rolled her eyes. She should have known better to ask that question. Of course Ariella already would have had her costume in hand. Ariella waved Buffy off with a laugh.

"'Course Buff. How 'bout you?" She asked Buffy, curious to see what her best friend was going as. Buffy handed her bag over to Ariella. Ariella laughed and nodded in approval. Buffy mentally sighed. She didn't feel like Ariella going on a shopping rampage.

"Daphne Blake, very you Buff. I was thinking as going as the sexy vampire slayer, but it just didn't seem, well, me. So sexy Alice is ready to strut her stuff instead." She said, making a pose for Buffy. Ariella would brush off how normal the word vampire rolled off her tongue. She resisted the need to shiver, remembering those men and Spike in the ally that night. She refused to think of Spike. He was a vampire. He attacked her at the beginning of the year. She just met a good guy like two seconds ago. Buffy's jaw dropped. Vampire slayer? Since when did her job go public?

"Vampire slayer? I thought it was all Van Helsen or Blade?" Buffy said to Ariella seriously, but she tried to make it sound like a joke. Ariella shrugged and moved to the men costumes. Out of everything she had just said, she picked to comment on the costume she _didn't_ pick. Buffy looked at her curious. Why weren't they ringing up their things and instead they were looking at men costumes?

"I guess they made a babe version. Anyhow, I do this every year. How do you think the boys always look so good? They pick their own clothes? Uh, no way. Except maybe Caleb, none of the others would last a day without my fashion skills. It's a wonder that they survived two or three years with out me." Ariella said as she looked through the men's costumes. Buffy laughed, but she didn't disagree. Xander was the same way in Sunnydale high. Ariella pulled out two costumes. When Buffy got a good look at them she bursted out in laughter. Ariella shot her a look.

"Batman and Robin?" Buffy asked Ariella, wiping her fake tears from her eyes. Ariella scowled at her and stuck her tongue out at Buffy. Buffy rolled her eyes and calmed her laughter down a bit.

"I always make them a pair. I'll 'cool' it up for them before I let them put it on of course." She said as she picked out another costume. Buffy didn't even have to ask who it was for. It had a leather jacket and a picture with a motorcycle on it. It was for one Pogue Parry. Now was Caleb's costume. It took a bit longer for Ariella to find his, but she managed.

"You do know that, besides Pogue, they're all gonna kill you, right?" Buffy asked her friend, actually quite amused. Ariella just ignored her. She looked at the bags in her hand and nodded, clearly satisfied. She took Buffy's bag without a moments notice and went to go pay. Just her luck. Ethan was managing the cash register. Ariella smiled as she laid all the bags on the counter.

"Can't wait to see me again, can you?" Ethan flirted with Ariella. Ariella giggled and shrugged. Ethan began to ring up all the costume bags. Buffy watched the interaction closely. This couldn't be good. At least for Spike anyways. It wasn't that Buffy wasn't happy her friend was getting out there. Just, she had hoped it would be with Spike. Sure, they had a long way to go, now even longer, but she hoped that it would work. Her hate for Spike aside, he had done some good in his un dead life and deserved to get a fair chance at a love life.

"Who's this Ari?" Buffy asked her friend. She didn't trust this guy. That might have to do with her rooting Ariella and Spike as a pair though. She wasn't the only one though. Reid is too. Reid, oh god is he going to hate this guy. Reid was overprotective when it came to guys and his little sister, no matter how much Ariella thought otherwise. Buffy was the only one to know of Ariela's doubts of Reid caring for her like a brother should. She tried to tell Ariella otherwise, but the girl was as stubborn as Reid himself.

"Oh, sorry. Buffy, this is Ethan. Ethan, this is Buffy." Ariella introduced the two. Ethan nodded to Buffy as a hello, and she returned it with her own nod. "Ethan's new here. He's starting Spencer soon too. Buffy's a senior with my brother and his friends." Ariella gave them both a little insight on the other, school wise at least.

"It's nice to meet you Buffy. Maybe we'll have some classes together. I'm a senior too." Ethan told the girls. Ariella smiled. Maybe he'll get a chance to meet her brother and the others on his own and she doesn't have to have that awkward 'guys this my date' meeting. Buffy smiled and nodded.

"Only time will tell I guess. We better get going Ari. I'm sure the guys have figured out that we're gone by now." Buffy said to Ariella with a smile that showed that she was joking around. She didn't want this guy to think that the boys scared them, just to show that they were protective. Ariella smiled and nodded. Ethan finished bagging their things and told them the cost of their purchases. Ariella paid for the costumes and took the bags, with the help of Buffy, and the two girls left with a good bye to Ethan.


	18. Another Set Up

Thanks for all the reviews everyone! I do not own anything but Ariella! Enjoy!

Ariella and Buffy entered Nicky's. They were so glad that it was the weekend. The past week dragged on forever. Ariella was a little down, but not enough to show, that Ethan hadn't called her yet. She and Spike kept their distance from each other, not that it was much different from before. Ariella wouldn't show, or tell, the boys what she got them for costumes. Neither would Buffy. They had to hide the costumes where the boys would never look. Spike's room. Ariella knew that the boys would never guess there. They didn't know Ariella even had a clue where his room was, even if Buffy did.

She knew that they wouldn't go off places that Buffy knew of. Which, to them, wasn't much. Little did they know Buffy knew more than she let on. Anyways, Ariella had Buffy bring the bags over to Spike's. The girls spotted the guys at their usual table, or well, just Caleb and Pogue. Ariella guessed that Reid and Tyler were at the pool table. She looked around the bar as they made their way to the table. Her smile faded when she found the table they were at. It wasn't just Reid and Tyler at the pool table though. Spike was too. Ariella took a deep breath and took her seat next to Buffy at the table. Pogue sat across from her.

"Any chance that we can . . ." Pogue started, but was cut off.

"No." Both girls said to him effortlessly. All four boys had annoyed them to no end with the same damn question. Can we see the costumes? Pogue rolled his eyes and got up from his seat. He was hungry and didn't want to show his annoyance in front of his friends. He just wanted to know if he was being something stupid. That's it.

"You guys want anything?" Pogue asked to the group. Caleb shrugged that he was fine. Buffy asked for a soda, as did Ariella. Pogue nodded and took off. He quickly ordered the two sodas for the girls before he made a zig line for the pool table. He was in on Reid's plan to get Ariella and Spike to get together as well. He didn't trust anyone, meaning guys, with Ariella. He'd rather her be with someone in the group if anyone though. Spike included in said group. The boys greeted each other in a 'manly' handshake.

"Girls here?" Reid asked him. Pogue nodded. Reid smirked as he put down his pool stick on the table. All the guys, besides Spike and Caleb, in their little group knew of Reid's match making plan. Buffy was in on it too. He looked back at the two confused guys behind him and then back to Pogue. He clapped his hands together. "Well boys, lets go and say hello to the girls." He said to them before leading the way to the table. Pogue paid for the drinks and picked them up on their way back. The three, un-noticeably, took the three seats empty at the table, leaving the one next to Ariella empty. Ariella noticed this and looked uncomfortable as Spike, hesitantly, sat down.

Buffy sent a glare at the boys. She was the only one to know that this was a bad idea. Mainly because she was the only one to know what had happened between the two to cause the drift between them. Spike nodded at Ariella, which she so politely returned. She sent a look for help to Buffy. Buffy shrugged and sent her an apologetic look back. Before anyone could say anything, Ariella's eyes were covered. All the boys tensed and were ready to strike. Buffy tensed and worried for this person's safety.

"Guess who, princess?" The voice said to her. Ariella seemed to relax at the voice. She smiled and moved the hands away from her eyes as she looked up. There above her, was Ethan. She giggled and look at him. She heard one of the guys growl and her smile wavered. She forgot about the guys and Buffy being there. She looked around the table and sent them a shy smile.

"This is Ethan. Buffy and I met him when we went shopping for the costumes. Ethan, these are my guys. The blond over there is my brother, Reid. The guy next to me is Spike. You already know Buffy of course. Her boyfriend, Caleb, is next to her. That's Pogue next to him, and Tyler is the one next to him." She introduced the boys to Ethan. Ethan nodded a hello to them all. Only three out of the five, you can guess who didn't, nodded back. Caleb, being the oldest and more mature, was the only one to actually get up out of his seat and shake hands with Ethan. Ariella sent him a 'thank you' nod his way.

"I justed wanted to see if Ariella here would like to dance with me." Ethan said to the group. Ariella noticed that Reid was about to stand up from his seat and say no, but she was quicker than him this time. She got up and nodded quickly to him. She smiled and waved to the group as he led her away from the table and onto the dance floor.

"I don't like him." Reid muttered out. Spike agreed with him, as did Pogue and Tyler. Caleb didn't hate the guy, he was just going to be cautious when it came to new kids. After the Chase incident, he's been wary about new people interacting with their group. Buffy and Spike, they knew that they could trust. Buffy had put her life on the line for Ariella and Caleb. Spike had been the one to tell Buffy, who then in turn told them, that Ariella was taken in the first place.

"Behave, all of you. It's good to see her getting out there since she had her break down." Buffy said sternly to the boys. Seriously, sometimes they all acted like 5 year olds. They all knew that she was right, but that didn't mean that they had to like the guy. Spike looked away from Buffy guilty. He had been the reason for that break down. Buffy felt bad for bringing it up, but it was true.

Ariella laid her head against Ethan's chest. He had a height on her, but what man in her life doesn't? It wasn't as much as the other's, maybe around Tyler's height or so. She looked up, locking her eyes with his chocolate brown ones. She moved her head down so that she was looking at the floor. Her smile was long faded away. Last time she got lost in a man's eyes, he had attacked her only a few days after they met. She wasn't going to rush into something with someone again. Not that her and Spike ever got anywhere though.

She was going to take things slow with this guy anyways. She did actually see him in her life. Something that she didn't see with Spike. They swayed back and forth to the music. She melted into his embrace, listening to his heartbeat inside his chest. It didn't occur to her that she had never heard Spike's heart beat until she found out what he really was a few nights ago.

"You know deary, that frowned of yours isn't helpin' me get on any of ya friend's good side." She heard him chuckle to her. She looked back at the table to see that all of the guys were glaring at Ethan. She looked up at Ethan and gave him a weak smile. She noticed how oddly his hair stuck up, with his hat on his head, tilted to the side. It was too small to be a top hat, but too big to be any other kind of hat. She heard how easy his accent came out when he spoke for the first time too.

"Your English." She stated out to him. He gave her a smile with a puzzled look laced in with it. That wasn't random or anything. He let out a chuckle at how random her statement really was.

"And you're American, sweets. Now that we have that out of the way, maybe now you can get what ever is makin' that frown come out in the open. I won't tell a soul. Promise." He whispered to her. She smiled at him shyly and blushed. Either he was really good at reading people, or she wasn't hiding her emotions as well as she thought she was.

"Not to be mean, but I hardly know you." She said to him with a blush in his cheeks. He shrugged. That was true. He didn't know a thing about her ,and she didn't know anything about him. The song soon ended and they pulled apart. He tipped his hat to her, making her giggle out loud.

"Another time then." He said to her as he was turning to leave, but stopped and turned to her again. "Oh, and sweets? My friends call me Hatter." He said to her before leaving. She was caught off guard for a moment. She smiled to herself, so she now knew a little about him. Hatter. It had a nice ring to it. It fit him nicely in her mind somehow. His hat was his signature thing about him, like Spike's duster was to him. Like Reid's fingerless glove were to him. She felt her hand be raised from her side. She was spun around as another slow song was played. Somebody was feeling romantic tonight was her guess. She looked up at her new dancing partner and smiled softly. Caleb.

"Don't mind, do you? They're all acting like five year olds the four of them, I swear. Buffy's trying to keep them from running after that guy and jumping him." Caleb chuckled as the two swayed to the music. If anyone saw them right now, they wouldn't think of it anymore as an older brother dancing with his little sister. They gave off that type of vibe to people. Ariella smiled and giggled into his chest as she laid her head to it. Then it clicked. He said four of them, not including Buffy. Spike was . . . jealous? No way. He couldn't be. Why would a vampire be jealous of a simple living breathing guy dancing with a mere mortal like her?

"I don't mind at all. He's my date to the dance next weekend. Don't be mad. He's coming to Spencer. You can see him in school, and he might even be living in dorms." Ariella told him. He chuckled at how silly she was being about this. It wasn't like they were going to tie the guy down and interrogate him. She hoped.

"I'm not mad, Ella, but you're going to have to be the one to tell your fan club the bad news." Caleb chuckled to the girl that he always saw as his own baby sister. Ariella giggled along with him. He was right. Not even she wanted to tell the guys that she found a date for the dance. She had never had one before, unless it was one of the guys. This was the first year that she could attend with her own date that wasn't a way to get into the dance.

"Deal." She agreed with him. He smiled his famous toothy grin at her as they finished their dance. Their dance was interrupted by someone clearing her throat. Ariella giggled and took a step away from Caleb. He turned around confused, but figured it out when he saw Buffy, smiling at him caringly.

He didn't know how he got to be so lucky. He thought Sarah was the best that he could get a month ago, but now he did have the best. She understood his life. She could, and is, living the life he led. He didn't want to push and say that he loved this girl because she would be leaving any day now, but he couldn't denie one thing. He was a lucky son of a bitch to get to have a girl like Buffy Summers.

"Mind if I cut in?" She said sweetly to Ariella. Ariella winked before gesturing Buffy to take her spot. Caleb wrapped his arms around Buffy's waist as she wrapped her own arms around his neck. She fit perfectly in his arms. Ariella found her way back to the table and took a breath as she held her head up high, figurally speaking, and sat in her seat next to Spike.

"Hey guys." She said cheerfully to the boys around her, even to Spike. Yet, they all just glared at her, except Spike who wouldn't make eye contact with her. "Caleb wasn't kidding." She muttered under her breath. Spike tried to hide his laughter. He was the only one who had heard her and Caleb's conversation, so he was the only one who got what she meant by that.

"Who's the git, Ella?" Reid asked her annoyed. Ariella looked at him with an expression that read 'what the hell did you just say?' She turned to Spike and frowned. That was deffinally Englishman-speak for something. No doubt Spike had said it before hand and Reid decided to add it to his vocabulary.

"Git? As if it wasn't bad enough that Tyler picks up on your bad habits. Now, you're picking up vocab from the British minute man here." Ariella said, gesturing to Spike next to her. All three men, except Pogue, took offense to that. She just waved it off though. "That guy just happens to be my date to the school dance. He's starting Spencer soon as a senior, so don't any of you start with age difference." Ariella said sterny to them, her eyes flickering to Spike. He should be the last one to speak. Ariella hadn't a clue as to how much older he actually was than her. Pogue was the only one who gave in, well, after a minute or so Tyler did too, but Spike and Reid resisted. They weren't going to give in anytime soon.

"Over my dead body. He's at least 3 years older than you, Ariella." Reid said angrily to her. She couldn't believe him! He went out with freshmen all the damn time and he was a senior. That just wasn't fair. Not at all. She settled for just glaring at him. If looks could kill, well, he would have been six feet under years ago.

"Oh, get off it Reid. I can date whom ever I please. Ethan's a good guy as far as I can tell, and he makes me laugh. Instead of being a bastard about it, you should be happy for me." She said to him as she stood up with her coat in hand. She saw that Spike was finally about to say something, but she stopped him before he could. "You, don't even try. You _especially_ don't get a say." She said before storming off from the table. She walked right passed Caleb and Buffy, neither noticed her though, and went right out the door. Reid sighed and knew that he should go after her, but he also knew that she would be too stubborn and would never listen to him. He then turned his head to Spike.

"She won't listen to us. Make sure she doesn't get herself hurt for me." Reid said to Spike. Regardless to not like being told what to do, this was something Spike would gladly do. He and her needed to talk about her knowing his real identity anyways. He nodded and left to go after her. He got outside and didn't see her straight away, so he vamped his search out. He listened closely for her with his vampire hearing.

_"I take it they don't like me very well?" He heard a familiar voice say. He then heard scuffling of feet on the ground._

_"My brother and friends are just being annoying." _He heard her voice say, clearly annoyed. He growled. She was with _him_ again. He didn't like the idea of them alone outside of a bar. He swaggered over to where he had heard their voices. He smirked when he saw them. He knew that he was pushing his limits with being around her alot tonight, but it wasn't his fault her brother was all for him being with her. He wasn't a moron. He knew a set up when he saw one.

"Well, hello luv. Poof." He said to the two as he approached them. Ariella and Ethan made a gap, well a bigger one than before, between them. Ariella glared at Spike. This won't end well. Not a chance in hell will it end good. At least, for her anyways.


	19. Attraction Is A Dangerous Thing

Thanks for the reviews! I hope you enjoy chapter 29 I do not own anything but Ariella!

Ariella stormed into her and Buffy's room. How could he say that? Who in the world did he think he was? He's a vampire, big damn deal! He had no right. When she gets her hands on that guy he's a, well, overly dead man. Ariella ranted in her head as she discarded her coat. She slammed the door shut behind her. She jumped when she heard a thump. She spun around and instantly went red in the cheeks. Buffy was on her bed, very flustered, and Caleb was on the floor, rubbing his head. Obliviously she interrupted something. All through of killing Spike were wiped from her mind as she stood there, clearly embarrassed.

"I am _soo_ sorry." She said to them while she fumbled to get her coat back on. "Just forget this ever happened, and do continue." She said with a sly smile as she rushed out of the room. Buffy looked down at Caleb stunned. His expression was similar. The mood for romance was over for the time being now. They hadn't expected someone to walk in on them like Ariella just had.

Ariella didn't know where she was going. She had just about walked in on her room mate and brotherly figure about to . . . you know. She couldn't even come to say the word. She wasn't prude or anything. She just figured it wouldn't be just sex to Buffy and Caleb like it would be for Reid and some other girl. She thought as she sped walked down the hall. She didn't even realize where she had gone until she stopped in front of a dorm room door. Spike's dorm room to be precise. She hesitated to knock. Shouldn't she be running from him, not going right to him? He just messed up her chances with Ethan probably. She wouldn't be sure until she saw him again. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even realize the door was now open and Spike was leaning against the door frame.

"What are ya doin' here, luv?" He said to her. She looked up and met his blue eyes. She noticed that he was just in his buttoned up shirt, which said buttons were unbuttoned and showing his well toned chest. He smirked, seeing that she was checking him out. Even after everything, she was still attracted to him.

"I . . . I don't really know. I was walking and I guess I ended up here for some reason." She said to him in a bit of a trance. Spike eyed both ends of the hall. Empty. He took a step back, motioning for her to come inside. She bit her bottom lip nervously. She had never been in Spike's room before. She didn't trust him either. The last few times they were alone hadn't ended well. He attacked her one time. Another she was attacked by vampires. Then of course tonight when he 'warned' to practically kill Ethan if he wasn't careful. But she went against her gut telling her to turn around and run, and went inside the room. Spike shrugged and closed the door behind her.

"What can I do for ya, luv?" Spike asked her as he watched her look around his room. She was curious as to how a vampire lived. She never could have guessed that he could live in a normal environment, but apparently he could from the looks of it. She noticed on the bed side table there was a cup full of red stuff, most likely blood was her guess. She spun around and her eyes landed on Spike.

"Why?" She asked him.

"Why what pet? More specific please." He said to him as he cleaned up his room a bit. He didn't want her to think that he was a slob, even if he was a tiny bit. She smiled weakly to herself. A vampire that cared about how people thought of his hygiene. That's a first to her. Spike smirked upon seeing her smiling and tilted his head to her.

"I know I should be running away and screaming, but I just keep coming back. You attacked me Spike. I almost didn't come back from it if it wasn't for my family. I get why you did it, kind of, but what I don't get is why I can still be . . . never mind." She said to him sadly. He saw her start to the door, but cut her off. She walked right into him. He grabbed onto her, not too hard to hurt her, but enough to sturdy her. She flinched at his touch. He quickly let her go, but neither moved from where they stood.

"I don't know luv. I should want to suck you dry, but I can't. All I can do if feel protective over you. I feel the need to . . . to protect you." He said to her. She looked up at him. They were so close to one another. Too close. Spike leaned down to capture her lips in his. This can't be happening again, she thought to herself. She quickly moved away from him.

"Spike, we can't. _I_ can't do this. Not now. Not ever. You tried to kill me." She said to him sadly. God, she felt like one of those soap opera's that she's heard Spike talking to Reid about. She still found it completely hilarious that her brother and a vampire watch Daytime. Her jacket had dropped to the floor sometime since she arrived. She quickly picked it up off the floor. Spike didn't move from where he stood, his head hung low.

"But I didn't. I stopped. I already told you, Ariella. I couldn't do it, not to you." Spike tried to reason with her. He had stopped. He pushed the demon away. He didn't want to be a monster in front of her, but it was too late not to be. Ariella felt guilty. She didn't know why exactly, but she did. She took a step forward and held her hand against his cheek. He was so cold. He moved his head into her hand more. He wanted her warmth.

"I know you did Spike, but what if it happens again? What if you can't stop next time? I can't be with someone that I have to be on my best guard with at all times. That's not how it works. I'm sorry Spike. I just can't." She said, her warmth long gone from his cheek. She rushed passed him and left the room, near tears. She didn't make it far though. She made it to her brother's dorm room when she broke down in sobs of tears. Spike cursed loudly and hit the wall, causing blood to appear on his knuckles.

Tyler had gone out with some girl that he met at Nicky's last night. Reid was happy that he was, finally, getting over his sister. Reid wasn't stupid. He knew, probably before Tyler even did, that the young brunette had the hots for Ariella. He was only bummed out that he hadn't made any plans. He heard sobbing from outside in the hall and got up. Maybe he just got lucky. A girl needed a shoulder to cry on, and he had shoulder to be cried on handy. He was all ready to sweep some girl off her feet when he opened his door. Only when he did? He couldn't breath. His sister was wreck on the ground, bawling her eyes out. He froze. He didn't know if he could handle another one of her break downs, or if any of the others could at that.

"Ella?" He whispered out. Her head snapped up. She quickly got to her feet and brushed herself off. She wiped her tears away and stood strong in front of him. "What's with water works, Ella?" He sighed. She moved her blond hair behind her ear and looked uncomfortable being the only one in the hall. She didn't think that her brother would be in his room.

"Nothing. Don't worry about it Reid." She said to him while she was trying to leave, but Reid caught her free arm, pulling her to a halt. She looked back at him and frowned. "It's nothing Reid. Really." She tried to convince him, but he didn't budge. He wasn't buying a thing that was coming out of her mouth right now.

"Last time I found you bawling your eyes out, you were attacked by some creep. Spill before I get boss man and Buffinator over here." He said, pulling her in his room. He was smart enough to know that they should be talking in closed doors and not in the hallway. Ariella rolled her eyes and followed him inside willingly. He closed the door after them as she made herself comfortable on Tyler's bed. Reid sat down on his bed and looked her over. She didn't look hurt, just upset. A thought then popped up into his head. Last time that he saw her, she was with that dude from Nicky's. He jumped up from his spot on his bed with a growl. "I'm going to hunt down and kill that bastard!" He growled out. She jumped to her feet and raced to cut him off from getting to the door.

"Ethan didn't do anything to me, Reid! Everything just caught up with me. It was like a . . . a final cry-fest over what happened before." She quickly lied to him. Lucky for her, Reid bought it and sat back down. She let out a nervous breath and sat down on Reid's unused school work desk. He rarely used it, only to look up things on the computer. Tyler used it mostly. Reid looked up from his hands at her with that look that made her heart ach. He looked pained.

"Are you sure?" He asked her. How do you lie to a face like that? Damn him. Well, she wasn't really lying. Ethan didn't hurt her. Neither did Spike, physically speaking. Just mentally she guessed. Sure he left some bruises, but nothing major. No broken bones.

"I'm sure Reid." She said sweetly to him. Reid nodded slowly. Then it occurred to him. What the hell was she doing in the boy's dorm hall anyways? She saw the expression on his face. Not good. For her sake anyways.

"Why were you in the boy's dorm anyways, Ella?" Reid asked curiously to her. She bit her lip and gulped. She's fucked now. How was she going to get out of this one?

"Tyler!" She suddenly blurted out. He looked at her suspiciously. "I was looking for Tyler. Can we stop with the twenty questions already?" She said to him, hopping off of the desk to the floor. He rolled his eyes, but nodded. "I need to get back. I'll see you tomorrow morning." She said to him. She kissed him on the cheek before leaving. He stared at his door curiously. His sister was everywhere this year. He couldn't see what she was going to do next some days, but others? He could read her like an open book. Tonight being one of those days. He was going to let her figure this, what ever _this_ is, on her own for now. He'll step in when he's needed.

Ariella rushed in the room, leaning against the back of the door of her room. She felt her walls breaking down. Buffy shot up from her bed. Caleb was long gone. Their night ended with an awkward good bye. She saw that Ariella was just mere seconds away from breaking down in sobs. She hurried over to her side just in time to catch the falling girl. She wrapped her arms around the girl and smoothed her hair back from her face as she cried. What happened from the time that she left the room to now?

"Ariella, tell me what's going on? Did someone hurt you?" Buffy asked frantically to her. Ariella nodded slowly. "Physically?" Buffy asked her again. Ariella shook her head no this time. "Mentally?" Buffy more calmer, but still a bit on edge. Ariella nodded yes again. "Who?" Buffy asked to her. It took a minute for Ariella to catch her breath.

"Spike. I . . . I don't know what happened. I just ended up there. I asked . . . I asked him why. He . . . I . . . we . . ." Ariella tried to not sob, but it was harder than it looked. Buffy needed to know what happened though. Did Spike try to attack her again? She tilted Ariella's head up so Ariella's eyes locked with her own.

"Ariella, you need to tell me what you two did. Did he hurt you again?" Buffy asked her firmly. She needed her answers, and she needed them now. Ariella took a deep breath, her sobs coming to a slow stop.

"No, he didn't hurt me. We . . . Buffy, we almost kissed. I pulled back though. I told . . . I told him I couldn't, and then ran out of his room. Reid found me crying on the ground in front of his and Tyler's room. Buffy, I _lied_ to him. I lied to my brother." She told her. Another round of sobs were heard from the girl in Buffy's arms. Buffy just told her everything was going to be alright. Hours passed before her sobbing came to a stop and she fell a sleep. Buffy picked her up gently and tucked her in her bed before returning to her own and going to sleep herself. Tomorrow was going to be one hell of day, that was for sure.


	20. Pink Is The New Blond

Sorry for the wait! Only five or six more chapters of the story left sorry to say! I do not own anything in this story besides Ariella Garwin! Enjoy!

Ariella was beyonde excited right now. Last week went by pretty quickly for her. She and Buffy had a girl's day on Sunday. They went shopping and then to the spa afterward. They both got their hair and nails done. Then both of them had gotten a massage too. Buffy was very happy to get one of those. It still made Ariella giggle at just thinking about Buffy's expression when she found out that they were getting massages. They ended the day by ordering movies and making popcorn befor settling down on one of the bed and watching it. Surprisingly, she and Buffy were very awake come Monday morning.

Actually, they were wide awake the whole week. They even beat the boys to the café this morning too. Usually the boys had to come and get them in their room in the morning. Well, that wasn't the only reason that she's excited about today. She got a call from Ethan yesterday while they were at the mall last week. They were still on for the dance. Which is tonight. Oh, and he's starting Spencer today.

Buffy and Ariella were chatting away since they walked inside of the class room. Reid and Spike were talking about sports a row back from them. Buffy couldn't help but want to laugh at that. Spike knew about sports? Since when? She's only seen him watch '_Passions'_ before, but then again, he _is_ a guy. The girl's looked up upon hearing the doors to the class room open. Spike had been watching Ariella from the corner of his eye and looked at the door a second after she did, causing Reid to look as well. Ariella perked up when she saw Ethan come inside. He winked at her as he went over to the teacher's desk. He handed her a slip and the teacher raised from her seat.

"Class, this is Ethan Ashford. He's just transfered into Spencer." She scanned the room for an empty seat. She smiled when she spotted one and she sighed. "You can sit beside Miss Garwin for today. Ariella, please raise your hand." She told Ariella to do. Ariella blushed and shyly raised her hand. Ethan thanked the teacher and found his way to Ariella and Buffy. He settled in the seat next her. He leaned back and extended his arm behind Ariella and around her shoulders. She looked away and blushed. Reid and Spike glared at the new boy's arm for the remainder of class.

Ethan leaned over so he could whisper to the girls after a few minutes. "Excuse me ladies, but is this class always this dull?" He whispered to Ariella and Buffy. They covered their mouths in attempt to hide their laughter. He chuckled with them. "I'll take that as a yes then." He whispered again. He tipped his hat and winked at Ariella as he straightened up in his seat. Ariella blushed and smiled to herself.

Buffy smiled at her friend and nudged her a little. She was going to be supportive of whom ever Ariella chooses to be with. Whether it be this guy, or Spike. She knew deep down that Ariella deserved a normal boyfriend, someone to be her anchor to reality. Ethan would be perfect for that role. She wanted that with Riley, but it didn't work out when she found out that he was a commando and his boss had tired to kill her. Lucky for Spike, Riley's team never found him. So he's alive, well still un dead and lurking, like he would be normally.

Spike and Reid eyed Ariella and Ethan as they walked down the halls of Spencer, laughing away. Her arm was looped through his own as they walked closely together. He would whisper something into her ear, making another round of giggles errupt from her lips. Spike and Reid scowled at the sight. Neither of them liked this Ethan guy at all. Spike wanted to rip his heart out. Reid wanted to throw him off of Marble head so badly. Spike knew that he had to act fast. He had almost kissed her, twice now, and she would have let him on Saturday night. The two boys looked at each other seriously.

"We need a plan." Reid announced to him and Spike nodded. They pondered until the bell rang. They made arrangements to meet up at Nicky's later and discuss 'plans' of how to get Ethan out of the picture. They weren't going harm the boy, much, even if they both really wanted to. They went their separate ways to their classes.

Ariella and Buffy had there backs against the door to their room, trying to keep the door closed. The door knob was shaking from someone trying to open it. The loud banging on the door was giving them both a headache. The constant yelling to be let in wasn't helping either. Buffy motioned for Ariella to grab the chair by their desk quickly. Ariella hurried to get it and dragged it back. Buffy put it under the handle of the door, jamming it closed.

"You gave them their costumes?" Buffy asked her room mate, her eyes showing disbelief in them. Ariella shrugged innocently to her. She didn't know that they would react like this. She knew that Reid would have a spazz attack, but, well, that's Reid for you. Tyler might be the only one not trying to break down their door at the moment. Not saying that he didn't hate his costume, but he was too nice for his own good.

"Sorry?" Ariella tried to say to Buffy seriously, but she just couldn't. She and Buffy looked at the door when the noise suddenly just . . . just stopped completely. The two girls looked at each and slowly moved toward the door. Buffy moved the chair slowly and peeked her head out of the room. The coast was clear. Buffy's head dropped with a sigh of relief. She came back inside of the room and closed the door, locking it out of paranoid-ism.

"They're gone. We have a few hours before the party. Lets get ready." Buffy went into the bathroom to get her bathroom supplies before she goes to the showers to, well, shower. Her face scrunched up when she didn't find what she was looking for. "Hey Ari! Can I borrow your shampoo? Mine's all out." Buffy called out from the bathroom. She could see Ariella getting her costume together in front of the mirror. She shrugged that she didn't care. "Thanks!" Buffy said to her before she grabbed the shampoo and left the room. Ariella grabbed her towels and slippers before she left the room a few minutes after Buffy left.

Ariella was walking down the hallway, but slowed her pace when she saw her brother and the other three boys of the covenant. She tilted her head and her expression was confused. Why were they waiting in front of the girl's shower room? They all had their ears to the door too. What was going on? Ariella approached them slowly, her foot steps almost silent.

"What are you guys doing?" She asked them, making them all jump out of their skin. She chuckled at their dumbfounded looks. She saw them all keep looking back and forth between her and the bathroom door. Reid's jaw was hanging low on the floor as he was pointing at the door to her, jumbled up words coming out of his mouth. This just made her laugh more.

"You . . . you're suppose to be . . . but . . ." Reid tried saying, but it just wasn't coming out right. Caleb and the other two just paled on sight, something was scaring the hell out of them now. Ariella just started laughing out loud at her brother. She had finally managed to leave him, _THE_ Reid Garwin, completely speechless.

"Are you going to be finishing any of those sentences today, Reid?" She laughed at him. He just scowled at her. Suddenly there was a scream coming from inside of the bathroom. Buffy's scream to be correct. What the hell did they _do_? _'I'm going to kill those idiotic sons!' _Was heard screamed from the inside of the bathroom. Ariella just started laughing out loud. "You . . . you guys should, you know, run away before she comes out." Ariella laughed at the guys. Reid had even paled a bit before the four took off in a scrambled run.

Ariella shook her head as she watched them run down the hall that she had just come from. It wasn't long before the door opened and Buffy walked out of the bathroom, her towel wrapped around her as she was dripping wet. Ariella's jaw dropped so quick upon seeing Buffy's hair. It was a shade of pink. Magenta was her best guess. She covered her mouth quickly. Buffy held up her hand up to silence her.

"I swear to god, Ari. If you say anything, _anything_, I'll kill you too." Buffy said to her, anger laced in with her tone of voice. Ariella held up her hands to show Buffy that she was innocent. Buffy just went back into the bathroom to try and do something to hide her hair, Ariella following inside behind her. Good thing that she washed her hair in the morning.


End file.
